Former AirAsia CFO Vijay Gopalan flags boarding issue after IndiGo flight departs

Vijay Gopalan, who previously served as the Chief Financial Officer of AirAsia India, publicly shared his experience of missing a flight on IndiGo, alleging that the aircraft departed without him despite his presence at the boarding gate.

Gopalan shared details of the incident through videos posted on social media, prompting a response from the airline. He also accused IndiGo’s ground staff of being “horribly rude and arrogant.” He alleged they blamed him for the mishap, suggesting he had chosen to stay in the lounge for “good food” rather than board. In his caption and narration, he expressed disappointment: “This is not how you treat passengers, especially when you know I was there.”

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A post shared by Vijay Gopalan (@vijay.gopalan)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Vijay Gopalan (@vijay.gopalan)

According to Gopalan, the incident took place at Tiruchirappalli airport, where he was scheduled to fly to Chennai. He said he had completed web check-in and reached the airport well in advance, later waiting in the lounge while keeping an eye on the flight information display system. In his account, the departure time on the screens kept shifting, and the status continued to show “security,” leading him to believe boarding had not begun.

Gopalan said he received a call from airline staff asking him to proceed to the gate, but by the time he arrived, he was informed that final boarding announcements had already been made and the aircraft was preparing to depart. He alleged that ground staff told him the gate had closed and the flight could not be held. He also claimed that he was initially asked to pay a rebooking charge of 3000 Rs, which was later reduced to 1800 Rs, and that he was accommodated on a subsequent flight, though he missed a professional commitment as a result.

IndiGo’s response

In a statement issued after the videos circulated, IndiGo said it regretted the inconvenience caused but maintained that boarding procedures were followed as per standard protocol. The airline pointed to a temporary issue with the airport-managed Flight Information Display System (FIDS), which may have affected real-time updates shown to passengers. IndiGo said that final boarding announcements were made and that the passenger was unable to reach the gate before closure. The airline added that its staff assisted Gopalan with alternate travel arrangements.

Social Media Reactions 

The incident sparked a range of responses across Instagram and X, fueling discussions on airline communication and passenger rights.

Supporters of IndiGo emphasized operational needs:

• “Airlines can’t afford delays for one person. Gate closures are standard-passengers need to be proactive.”

• “Punctuality is key for low-cost flights. If the board is wrong, that’s on the airport, not the airline.”

Others empathized with Gopalan and questioned the system:

• “If the display shows delays, how is a passenger supposed to know? Staff should make personal calls earlier.” 

• “If they had the ability to call you, why wouldn't they do it prior to the flight leaving...?”

The episode has renewed attention on how boarding information is conveyed at airports, particularly in situations where display updates, announcements and gate procedures may not align clearly for passengers.