IndiGo Vadodara-Delhi flight loses cabin power before takeoff, passengers left in darkness

Indigo 6E 657 passenger flight travelling from Vadodara to Delhi lost power in its cabin just before take off on May 17, 2026. The flight was scheduled to depart from Vadodara at 8.40 pm with around 160 people aboard the aircraft, when it lost connection to its ground power unit (GPU). The cabin was left pitch black without air conditioning for around 30 minutes.

Why did the cabin plunge into darkness?

According to an airport official, the aircraft was relying on the GPU for electrical supply at the time when the system developed a fault. The ground power unit suddenly malfunctioned. A GPU is an external electrical generator that is used to maintain the cabin's electricity, without requiring the aircraft's engine and onboard generator to run. It took engineers 12-15 minutes to fix the technical glitch and 15 more minutes to restore the power of the aircraft.

“During these 30 minutes, there was complete darkness in the cabin, and with the AC also not functioning, the passengers were sweating badly,” said an aircraft official.

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What was the impact, and what did Indigo say?

The flight was delayed by nearly 1 hour and 20 minutes, according to data from flightradar.com. The flight was originally scheduled for departure at 8.40 pm, but it took off at around 10 am. An IndiGo Airlines spokesperson confirmed the delay was due to a technical snag and expressed regret for the passenger's discomfort. The issue was promptly resolved, and they travelled to their destination. Throughout the process, the customers were kept updated while they were assisted by the crew to minimise discomfort.