Bee Swarm Grounds IndiGo Flight at Surat Airport, Causing Hour-Long Delay
Share
In a highly unusual incident on Monday evening, IndiGo flight 6E‑784 bound for Jaipur was delayed at Surat Airport when a swarm of bees clustered on the open luggage door of the aircraft. The Airbus A320, scheduled to depart at 4:20 PM, remained grounded until approximately 5:26 PM, leaving both passengers and crew waiting anxiously.
The drama unfolded as luggage loading was underway and passengers were already seated. Ground staff first attempted to disperse the bees using smoke, but when this proved ineffective, the airport fire brigade was summoned. Firefighters arrived on the runway and used water jets to rinse the bees off the aircraft, finally clearing the affected area and allowing the flight to depart safely.
An IndiGo spokesperson told NDTV that the delay resulted from a “bee incident” and emphasized that all standard safety protocols were followed before the flight was cleared for takeoff. No injuries were reported among passengers or staff.
This isn’t the first time bees have disrupted air travel—similar incidents have occurred before at airports such as Kolkata and even abroad, including a Delta Airlines flight delayed in the U.S.
While uncommon, insect-related delays highlight the unpredictable nature of ground operations at airports. Authorities at Surat are reportedly reviewing measures to prevent such disturbances in the future.
