Passengers on board an IndiGo flight from Vadodara to Delhi faced a power outage on Sunday evening after a technical issue with the plane’s ground power supply cut off power and air conditioning to the cabin for about half an hour.
The accident occurred on board IndiGo flight 6E 657, which was scheduled to depart Vadodara at 8.40 pm on Sunday, May 17. About 160 passengers had already boarded the plane when the Ground Power Unit (GPU), which supplies electricity to parked planes, stopped working before take-off, news agency PTI reported.
The cabin is plunged into darkness
According to an airport official, the plane was relying on the GPU for electricity supply at the time the system went wrong.
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It took engineers about 12 to 15 minutes to fix the technical glitch. It took another 15 minutes to fully restore power to the aircraft.
The official said: “During these 30 minutes, there was complete darkness in the cabin, and with the air conditioning not working, the passengers were sweating profusely.”
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The passengers remained seated inside the plane throughout the turmoil.
The flight was delayed for more than an hour
Data available on flight tracking website Flightradar24.com showed that the flight, which was scheduled to depart at 8.40pm, finally took off at around 10pm, resulting in a delay of about an hour and 20 minutes.
What Indigo said
Following the disruption, an IndiGo spokesperson said: “IndiGo flight 6E 657 from Vadodara to Delhi on 17 May 2026 was delayed due to a technical fault. The issue was resolved immediately and the aircraft headed to its destination shortly thereafter. Customers were kept informed throughout the delay and our team did their best to minimize their inconvenience. We regret the inconvenience caused to our customers and appreciate their patience and understanding. At IndiGo, passenger safety and comfort remain Our customers and staff are our top priority.
What is a graphics processing unit?
A ground power unit, or GPU, is equipment used to provide electricity to an aircraft while it is parked at an airport gate. It powers systems such as cabin lights, avionics and air conditioning without having to start the plane’s engines or on-board generators.
(with PTI inputs)
