You’ve probably heard plenty of stories about flights that were delayed or cancelled and it meant people missed something important. Case in point, when Southwest had its meltdown during the holiday season of 2022, over 2 million people wound up being stranded and essentially missed Christmas with their friends and family (which is why it was so flabbergasting when the airline dropped this tone-deaf ad).
In recent days, Indian carrier IndiGo, the country’s largest low-cost airline, has experienced a similar meltdown. A trickle of delays suddenly turned into over a thousand cancellations late last week. And, similar to the Southwest meltdown in 2022, people missed important events such as funerals and exams due to what the airline is calling “unforeseen operational challenges.” (The “challenges” have since been identified by the airline as a combination of weather, technical glitches and new rules requiring longer rest periods for pilots and cabin crew).
One couple who was in the thick of the mess, Medha Ksheerasagar and Sangama Das, wound up missing their own wedding because of the problems with their IndiGo flight. However, they turned lemons into lemonade and joined their wedding reception virtually, since it was the only way they could attend.
Virtual bride and groom
The couple are both software engineers and hail from Bengaluru. They were married on November 23rd and had planned a grand reception at Gujarat Bhavan in Hubballi on Dec. 3rd. But according to the Times of India, their flight from Bhubaneswar to Hubballi was delayed several times before it was finally cancelled altogether.
Relatives from both sides of the new family were gradually arriving at the venue. But there was no sign of the newlyweds. Staff at IndiGo apparently kept informing the couple that their flight was “delayed,” beginning around 9 a.m. local time on Dec. 2. By the next morning, their flight status had changed from delayed to cancelled.
The bride’s father, Anil Kumar, told the Times of India that, “The flight was continuously shown as delayed throughout the day. Only at around 6 to 8 p.m. did they finally announce it was cancelled.”
So, Ksheerasagar and Das rolled with the punches and decided to attend their own wedding virtually. The bride’s father set up a large screen at the venue so that the couple could interact with their guests. Meanwhile, the newlyweds dressed up so they could celebrate their marriage from an entirely different city.
Here’s a video from the event:
https://x.com/TeaTimeTelugu/status/1996887213217312845
“If IndiGo had informed us earlier, we could have made other arrangements,” said Kumar. “Because they did not provide timely information, the reception had to be held online.”
Was the situation ideal? Absolutely not! But it was a smart way for the couple to still have their reception. Plus they got a story they can tell their grandkids.
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