IndiGo Low on Fuel: Mayday Call

 Bengaluru, June 22, 2025:

Authorities confirmed that an IndiGo flight from Guwahati to Chennai safely landed at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Thursday evening after issuing a mayday call due to a fuel emergency. Without any injuries, all 168 passengers and crew members disembarked. 

Due to heavy airport traffic, flight 6E-6764 was unable to make a landing at Chennai at around 19:45 IST. The pilot reported extremely low fuel to air traffic control about thirty five minutes prior to landing, which led to an emergency diversion to Bengaluru. At 20:15 IST, the plane landed while following all emergency procedures, with fire, medical, and air traffic control personnel on standby.

According to an IndiGo source, the flight delay into Chennai's holding pattern resulted in a fuel shortage, necessitating an immediate reroute, which led to the mayday declaration. The two pilots were de-rostered after the landing, which is standard procedure while an internal safety review is conducted, but neither the crew nor the passengers were hurt. 

Given the urgency of the situation, passengers characterized the descent into Chennai as abrupt. According to one passenger, the approach was "steep and sudden," which alarmed the other passengers. The safety of the passengers is attributed to the pilot's preemptive decision to divert.

The unease in India's aviation community has been heightened by this incident, which comes shortly after the Air India crash near Ahmedabad earlier this month. According to airline officials, this case is being investigated, with an emphasis on determining whether the critical fuel situation was caused by operational oversight, procedural delays, or unanticipated circumstances. 

Although internal reports indicate that a thorough review of crew decisions, flight planning, and air traffic coordination will be conducted, IndiGo has not yet released an official statement. Although pilots are taught to manage fuel strictly, prolonged holding patterns can seriously reduce safety margins, according to aviation safety observers. It is anticipated that the incident will lead to additional examination of airline dispatch procedures and air traffic systems.

Operations at Bengaluru resumed after the safe nighttime landing, and the aircraft was refueled and scheduled for a new departure, pending regulatory clearances. This incident serves as a reminder of the dangers that crowded skies, operational hold ups, and the strain they put on regular flights. To stop a recurrence, regulators and airlines will probably review current safeguards.