Lights Out, No AC, 30 Minutes of Hell: IndiGo Flight 6E657 Passengers Stranded in Dark Sweltering Cabin at Vadodara Airport (Watch Video)

Passengers on IndiGo flight 6E657 from Vadodara to Delhi were left sweating in complete darkness for nearly 30 minutes after a Ground Power Unit failure knocked out cabin lights and air conditioning while the aircraft sat stationary on the tarmac.

The incident unfolded on the evening of May 15, between 8:40 pm and 9:15 pm. With engines off and external power gone, the sealed cabin quickly turned into a heat trap. Passengers were seen desperately fanning themselves with files, newspapers, and anything else within reach. A video captured by one of the passengers inside the dark cabin has since gone viral on social media, showing the extent of distress on board. ‘Filmed Female Crew Inappropriately’: IndiGo Deplanes Drunk Passenger From Flight 6E-6323 on Hyderabad–Udaipur Route (Watch Video).

Vadodara Airport IndiGo Flight Stranded on Tarmac After Ground Power Unit Failure Disrupts Cabin Systems

The Ground Power Unit is a critical piece of ground support equipment that supplies electricity to an aircraft's cabin lights, air conditioning, and cockpit instruments when the main engines are switched off at the terminal. When the GPU malfunctioned, every essential comfort system onboard shut down simultaneously. Fly91 Flight Turbulence Horror: Passengers Panic Mid-Air for 4 Hours, Seen Crying, Praying After Failed Hubballi Landing (Watch Videos).

Airport sources confirmed that airline technicians were deployed immediately after the failure was reported. Repair work was carried out on the tarmac and power was eventually restored, bringing lights and cooling back to a relieved cabin full of passengers.

The technical snag caused a significant departure delay. Flight 6E657 was originally scheduled to depart Vadodara at 8:40 pm but finally took off for Delhi at 10 pm, arriving well behind schedule.

IndiGo has faced growing scrutiny over ground handling and technical preparedness at smaller airports. This incident raises fresh questions about backup power protocols and passenger communication during ground-level failures, particularly during peak summer when cabin temperatures can become dangerous within minutes.

For passengers already dealing with India's brutal summer heat, 30 minutes in a dark, sealed, powerless aircraft cabin was an ordeal that no boarding pass should come with.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 18, 2026 05:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).