An IndiGo flight from Vadodara to Delhi faced a significant delay after a ground power unit malfunctioned, leaving passengers in the dark and without air conditioning, highlighting the importance of reliable ground support equipment for smooth flight operations.
Key Points
- IndiGo flight 6E 657 from Vadodara to Delhi was delayed due to a ground power unit malfunction.
- Approximately 160 passengers were left in darkness and without air conditioning for about 30 minutes.
- Engineers took 12-15 minutes to fix the ground power unit glitch and restore power.
- The flight eventually departed after a delay of 1 hour and 20 minutes.
- IndiGo acknowledged the delay, attributing it to a technical snag that was promptly resolved.
Around 160 passengers on board an IndiGo Delhi-bound flight from Vadodara on Sunday night were forced to sit in the dark, sweating profusely for half an hour, as the ground power unit supplying electricity to the aircraft malfunctioned before the departure, according to sources.
Ground Power Unit Failure Causes IndiGo Flight Delay
The aircraft, operating IndiGo flight 6E 657 (Vadodara-Delhi), was to depart at 8.40 pm.
At that time, the aircraft was receiving power from the ground power unit, but it conked out, an airport official said.
It took about 12-15 minutes for the engineers to fix the glitch in the GPU and another 15 minutes to restore power supply to the aircraft, he said.
Passenger Discomfort During IndiGo Flight Delay
"During these 30 minutes, there was complete darkness in the cabin, and with the AC also not functioning, the passengers were sweating badly," the official said.
There were some 160 passengers on board the aircraft, he added.
Meanwhile, IndiGo, in a late-night statement on Monday, said "IndiGo flight 6E 657 operating from Vadodara to Delhi on May 17 was delayed due to a technical snag. The issue was promptly resolved, and the aircraft proceeded to its destination soon thereafter."
Understanding Ground Power Units in Aviation
A GPU is equipment that plugs into an aeroplane when it is parked at the gate. It supplies the necessary electrical power to operate the aircraft's lights, avionics, and air conditioning without needing to run its engines or onboard generator.
According to the live flight-tracking website flightradar24.com, the Vadodara-Delhi flight was scheduled to depart at 8.40, but it could depart for its destination at 10 pm, after a delay of 1.20 minutes.
© 2026