An Indian-origin man settled in New Zealand recently shared a harrowing account of his 52-hour-long journey back home following an emergency trip to India. Hardik Ahuja took to LinkedIn to vent his frustration over the chaotic experience, which he described as a result of “complete mismanagement and negligence” by multiple entities involved in his travel.
Ahuja had flown to India on April 11 to visit his critically ill grandfather, who was in the ICU after suffering a heart attack, stroke, and pneumonia. What was initially meant to be a brief one-week visit turned into a nightmare on his return journey to New Zealand due to delays, fuel shortages, and poor customer service.
The troubles began with an over 10-hour delay on his IndiGo flight from Singapore to Delhi. Ahuja stated that passengers were left stranded with no support or communication from the airline. To ensure he made it to Delhi in time, he was forced to book a last-minute flight with Singapore Airlines, spending NZD 2,400 (approximately Rs 1,22,412).
The ordeal worsened during his return journey. Despite arriving at Delhi airport four hours ahead of schedule, Ahuja encountered long delays, with only three counters open for check-in, causing a two-hour wait. Once onboard, passengers faced an uncomfortable flight with no air conditioning and limited food options, only a cucumber and cheese sandwich.
Things took a dangerous turn when passengers were informed mid-flight that the aircraft did not have enough fuel to reach Singapore and did not have Air Traffic Control clearance. The plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Kuala Lumpur before eventually reaching Singapore, nearly nine hours after departing Delhi. This caused Ahuja and other passengers to miss their Qantas connecting flight to Melbourne, which was not delayed to accommodate them.
Further complications arose at Changi Airport in Singapore, where Ahuja and other travelers were informed they required a return ticket to New Zealand, despite showing proof of permanent residency. The situation resulted in further delays and a distressing experience for Ahuja, who questioned why he chose to fly with Qantas in the first place.
In his LinkedIn post, Ahuja emphasized that the trip was not a vacation, but rather a medical emergency, and expressed his frustration at the toll the journey took on his mental peace, time, and finances.
In response, IndiGo Airlines apologised for the inconvenience caused and invited Ahuja to provide his contact details for further assistance.
This incident highlights the importance of accountability and improved passenger treatment, especially in emergency travel situations.
“Flight 6E1014 from Singapore to Delhi was delayed on April 11, 2025, due to technical reasons. Customers were provided lounge access, meals and alternate travel options. Some passengers chose to deboard and take an alternate flight/ airline at their own expense. The flight departed after the necessary checks. Additionally, flight 6E1013 from Delhi to Singapore on April 20, 2025, was diverted to Kuala Lumpur due to adverse weather and air traffic congestion in Singapore, resulting in a delay. Affected passengers were provided with hotel accommodation and were rebooked on the next available flight,” an official statement from the Indigo stated.