A surprising and emotional moment unfolded in Hubballi, Karnataka, when a Bengaluru-based techie couple had to join their own wedding reception through a video call. Their IndiGo flight, which was supposed to take them to the city, got cancelled at the last moment, leaving them stranded hundreds of kilometres away.
Who Are The Couple?
The couple—Medha Kshirsagar from Hubballi and Sangram Das from Bhubaneswar—are software engineers working in Bengaluru.
They got married in Bhubaneswar on November 23, and the family had planned a formal reception in Hubballi for relatives and friends who couldn’t attend the wedding.
A Well-Planned Event Gets Disrupted
Everything was ready at the reception venue, Gujarat Bhavan in Hubballi—decorations, food, guests, music, rituals.
The only thing missing was the bride and groom.
Their travel plan was simple:
- Flight from Bhubaneswar to Bengaluru,
- Then a connecting flight to Hubballi on December 2.
But from Tuesday morning, the situation kept worsening. The flight was delayed again and again for nearly 18 hours—from 9 AM till early next morning. Finally, around 4 AM, passengers were informed that the flight was cancelled.
Parents Take The Couple’s Seats At The Venue
With hundreds of guests already seated inside the hall and no way to postpone such a grand event, the bride’s parents made a quick decision. They sat on the stage in the seats meant for the couple to continue the rituals symbolically.
Meanwhile, the couple dressed up in Bhubaneswar and joined live through video conferencing. Their faces were displayed on a big screen so guests could bless them.
Guests React With Love And Support
Though the situation was heartbreaking, relatives and friends at the venue showed immense support. Many were seen smiling, waving, blessing the couple on the screen, and even clicking pictures of the virtual setup.
The bride’s mother said they felt extremely helpless but did not want to disappoint guests who had travelled long distances.
Why So Many IndiGo Flights Are Getting Cancelled?
This week has been chaotic for flyers across India. IndiGo, the country’s largest airline, has cancelled hundreds of flights due to major gaps in planning and shortage of pilots under the new government duty-time rules.
Airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Chennai, Bengaluru, Bhopal, and several other cities are witnessing long queues, delays, and angry passengers.
On Thursday alone, the airline cancelled over 500 flights—the highest single-day cancellations in its 20-year history.
IndiGo’s Response To The Crisis
IndiGo has informed the aviation regulator DGCA that:
- Operations may return to normal only by February 10 next year.
- More cancellations are expected till December 8.
- Services may be reduced after that to manage the pilot availability issue.
The airline admitted that this disruption was mainly because of “misjudgment” in handling the second phase of the Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) rules.
Impact On Thousands Of Passengers
This unexpected travel chaos has affected thousands of passengers—families travelling for weddings, professionals heading to urgent meetings, students returning home, and even those travelling for medical emergencies.
In the case of Medha and Sangram, a once-in-a-lifetime moment had to be celebrated through a screen—something no newlywed couple imagines.
Conclusion
The virtual reception of the Bengaluru techie couple highlights how the ongoing IndiGo crisis is affecting real lives and important family events. While airlines must follow safety norms and government rules, proper planning and communication are equally important. Passengers hope the situation stabilises soon so that such emotional and avoidable incidents do not repeat.
FAQs
What caused the IndiGo flight cancellations?
IndiGo cancelled many flights because of pilot shortage and poor planning while adjusting to new government flight duty rules.
When will IndiGo operations return to normal?
According to the airline’s update to DGCA, operations are expected to become stable by February 10 next year.
Why did the couple attend the reception online?
Their flight from Bhubaneswar to Bengaluru was cancelled after long delays, and it became impossible for them to reach Hubballi on time.
Did the reception continue without the couple?
Yes. Since the venue was ready and guests had already arrived, the bride’s parents performed the rituals while the couple participated virtually.
Are more flight cancellations expected?
Yes. IndiGo has warned that cancellations will continue till December 8, with possible service reductions afterward.