IndiGo Faces Toilet Controversy: Passengers Report Privacy Breach and Lavatory Misuse
Passengers on recent IndiGo flights have raised serious concerns over lavatory use and privacy. In one case, a woman alleged that a co-pilot opened the toilet door while she was inside, leaving her “shocked and violated.” In another instance, a frequent flyer reported that crew deliberately kept the rear toilets locked, thereby inconveniencing passengers on short flights. The incidents have sparked criticism of the airline’s handling of passenger rights and privacy.
Incident 1: Co-Pilot Lavatory Entry
A Mumbai-based entrepreneur, Rhea Chaterji, co-founder of Safegold, reported a troubling incident on an IndiGo flight on August 8. She alleged that a co-pilot forcefully opened the forward lavatory door while she was inside before takeoff.
According to her LinkedIn post, she had locked the lavatory and responded to two knocks before the door was opened. The co-pilot, upon seeing her, reportedly said “oh” and shut the door. Chaterji described feeling “shocked and violated”.
She further alleged that flight attendants downplayed the event, referring to it as an “inconvenience” and insisting that “nothing was seen.” Chaterji said she felt unsupported, uncomfortable returning to her seat, and continued to be approached by crew despite requesting privacy.
She later emailed IndiGo leadership, but claimed the airline’s response amounted to standard apologies and a refund with vouchers. She stated she was disappointed with what she viewed as a lack of accountability and empathy.
Incident 2: Rear Lavatories Locked
In a separate case, another passenger tweeted about his experience on an IndiGo flight where both rear lavatories (Lav F & G) were marked occupied. While Lav F was in use by passengers, Lav G remained locked throughout most of the short flight.
The passenger, who said he has decades of aviation experience, claimed the crew had blocked Lav G for their own use. When he questioned the practice, the crew insisted a passenger was inside. Later, after he pretended to use Lav F, he reportedly overheard the crew opening Lav G for a passenger to wash hands, which he described as evidence of deliberate misuse.
He raised concerns that blocking toilets for extended periods inconveniences paying passengers and could also be a safety risk in case of medical emergencies. He indicated he would escalate the issue with authorities, including the DGCA.
IndiGo Source Flags Passenger’s Mixed Signals on Compensation
An IndiGo source stated that the individual involved has requested a large sum of compensation, despite the airline’s repeated apologies for what they maintain was an unintentional mistake. This comes in contrast to the passenger’s claim in her LinkedIn post, where she mentioned that she was not seeking compensation for the situation.
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