Indigo crisis: What’s inside the 'goodie bag' that went viral as hundreds of flights get cancelled

Dubai: A small 'apology kit' distributed by IndiGo during a major flight delay has become an unexpected viral symbol of India’s week-long air travel disruptions, sparking widespread social media discussion over the scale of the crisis.

The video, which surfaced on Monday and quickly travelled across platforms, captures a passenger revealing the contents of a complimentary bag offered by the airline as flight cancellations continued to upend travel plans nationwide.

Viral ‘Apology token’

The clip, shared on Instagram by user @babyaaira.gaurav, was captioned simply: 'Unboxing: Apology token from indigo for flight delay.' What would typically be an unnoticed gesture during a routine delay has drawn sharper scrutiny amid days of long waits, crowded terminals, and sudden changes to major airport schedules.

Inside the small paper bag, the passenger found a few simple items: a mixed fruit juice, gourmet popcorn, methi mathri, a tissue packet, and a small card bearing a Samsung logo.

Passenger reactions and disruption scale

While the snacks were intended to offer comfort during the wait, the video prompted an immediate wave of commentary questioning the adequacy of the measure given the scale of the disruption.

Passengers took to the comment section to share their own experiences, highlighting the widespread frustration.

'It's not an apology, it's a meal for you to eat while you are waiting," one user commented. "We got it even when our flight was delayed by 1.5 hrs last year.'

Other replies indicated a varied response from the airline during the ongoing issues. Another user wrote: 'Be thankful at least you got that. My flight was delayed by 9 hours and we weren't even offered a glass of water.'

The shared comments reflect a mix of irritation and dark humour among thousands of travellers dealing with similar situations across major Indian airports during the week-long disruption.

IndiGo under pressure despite assurances

IndiGo has maintained that its services have returned to normal, but passenger complaints and repeated cancellations over several days prompted government intervention. The operational crisis — one of the airline’s worst in recent years — also revived debate about crew planning, rostering, and systemic stress in India’s fast-growing aviation sector.