One of the travellers posted the argument's footage to Twitter.
The fight between an IndiGo crew member and a passenger onboard a flight has become one of the most talked-about topics online. Several users have reacted to the incident, which according to the airline took place on the Istanbul-Delhi flight on December 16. An air hostess of IndiGo is heard asking the male passenger to behave after mistreated one of the crew members over choice of meals onboard the flight. Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aviation regulator, has said that it is looking into the incident. The video was originally posted on Twitter by Er. Gurpreet Singh Hans, who was on that flight, and has since gone viral.
Now, reacting to it, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Jet Airways, Sanjiv Kapoor, has supported the IndiGo air hostess, saying crew members are human too.
"As I had said earlier, crew are humans too. It must have taken a lot to get her to the breaking point. Over the years, I have seen crew slapped and abused on board flights, called "servant" and worse. Hope she is fine despite the pressure she must be under," Mr Kapoor tweeted.
Other users also agreed with the Jet CEO. "The worst part is the critique she's facing on social media for not following the "Customer is 'King' policy! I hope the HR and crew training bosses at 6E are sensitive about this. They need to stand by their team," commented Nishant Gambhir, a public rights lawyer.
"I really hope the HR and all his team members stand by her. Everyone is human at the end of the day, and it takes a lot to reach this point after getting through all trainings. Be strong and take care," said another one.
Mr Hans who first posted the nearly one-minute-long clip on Twitter said that every long distance flight has a food choices video in front of seats. He also briefly described what happened during the fight.
The accompanying video showed a heated argument between the airhostess and a passenger (who is not visible). The crew member accused the passenger of talking to the staff harshly, which made one of them cry.
"You are pointing a finger at me and yelling at me. My crew is crying because of you. Please try to understand, there is a cart and counted meals are uplifted (on the plane). We can only serve what your boarding..." But before she could complete her sentence, the passenger cut her off.
"Why are you yelling?" asked the passenger. "Because you are yelling on us," the airhostess replied, raising her voice.
The air hostess also told him that she is an employee of the company. "I am not your servant."
IndiGo later said in a statement: "We are aware of the incident that took place on flight 6E 12 from Istanbul to Delhi on December 16, 2022. The issue was related to meals chosen by certain passengers travelling via a codeshare connection. IndiGo is cognizant of the needs of its customers, and it is our constant endeavour to provide a courteous and hassle-free experience to our customers. We are looking into the incident and would like to assure you that customers' comfort has always been our top priority. We are committed to providing the best experience at all times."
The airline added that the passenger asked for a sandwich, and the crew told him they would check if the food item was available on the flight. But the man started shouting at the air hostess, due to which she started crying.
News agency PTI quoted a senior official at the DGCA as saying that said the regulator is looking into the incident and will take appropriate action.