A Jammu-to-Delhi IndiGo flight carrying Jammu & Kashmir’s former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was unexpectedly diverted to Jaipur late Saturday night, leading to passenger distress and strong remarks from the political leader. Abdullah took to social media platform X to express frustration over the ordeal, calling Delhi airport a “bloody shit show” and stating he was “in no mood to be polite.”
Three Hours in Air, Diverted to Jaipur
According to Abdullah, the flight took off from Jammu and remained airborne for nearly three hours before being diverted to Jaipur, where passengers were left aboard the aircraft past midnight. He posted a selfie from the aircraft’s steps around 1 AM, saying he was trying to get some “fresh air” as they awaited further instructions.
“Delhi airport is a bloody shit show [excuse my French but I’m in no mood to be polite]. 3 hours in the air after we left Jammu we get diverted to Jaipur & so here I am at 1 in the morning on the steps of the plane getting some fresh air. I’ve no idea what time we will leave from here,” Abdullah wrote on X.
Flight Reaches Delhi at 3 AM
Later, the National Conference leader confirmed that the flight finally landed in Delhi just after 3 AM. IndiGo had not issued an official statement regarding the delay and diversion at the time of this report.
Delhi Airport Facing Operational Changes
The disruption comes amid ongoing operational changes at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. Terminal 2 (T2) has been shut temporarily for maintenance work, with flights from IndiGo and Akasa moved to Terminal 3 and the newly upgraded Terminal 1. This shift has led to additional passenger traffic and congestion at other terminals.
Bad Weather Adds to Aviation Woes
The diversion was also compounded by poor weather conditions in Srinagar on Saturday, which disrupted flight schedules across the region. Earlier in the day, passengers at Jammu airport had reported long delays and multiple cancellations. IndiGo issued a travel advisory citing “unfavourable weather” in Srinagar and assured that its teams were actively monitoring the situation.
“Weather conditions in Srinagar are impacting flight operations… If your flight is impacted, you can explore flexible rebooking options or claim a refund,” the advisory said.
The sequence of delays, diversions, and lack of timely communication has added to growing passenger concerns, especially as travel volumes increase across the country.
