NEW DELHI: A woman entrepreneur has alleged a humiliating incident on board an IndiGo flight, claiming that a pilot barged into the restroom while she was using it. Rhea Chaterji, co-founder of Mumbai-based Safegold, shared her ordeal in a LinkedIn post on August 18, describing it as deeply disturbing. Her post has since gone viral, drawing widespread support for speaking out.IndiGo’s offer to refund her airfare as compensation has attracted criticism, with many slamming the airline for its alleged lack of empathy.The incident reportedly took place on August 8 on flight 6E 5295 from Bengaluru to Mumbai. In her post, Chaterji alleged: “An IndiGo First Officer barged in on me while I was using the loo before take-off, but the airline doesn’t feel this warrants meaningful redressal.” “On Friday the 8th, I boarded a late flight & went to use the facilities before take-off. At least one flight attendant was at the galley and the forward washroom was unlocked. I locked the door & once seated, heard a knock, which I replied to. Shortly after, there was another knock, which I replied to more loudly,” her post continued. “Before I’d even fully spoken, the door was forcibly opened, and a male crew member was gazing directly at me while I was in a vulnerable state.”She added that the crew downplayed the incident, saying they were “sorry for the inconvenience” and that they were sure “he hadn’t seen anything.”Chaterji wrote that she felt “utterly violated” and described experiencing a “deep sense of revulsion” and isolation. She alleged the crew continued to engage her throughout the flight despite her repeated requests to be left alone. She further claimed that she was asked to meet the First Officer and Captain in the cockpit, which only heightened her anxiety.Chaterji said she had emailed IndiGo’s top leadership, including the CEO, but received only “lip service full of corporate jargon” and repeated apologies. She said the airline’s compensation offer amounted to a refund of her ticket and vouchers worth just over half that amount, adding: “The price of a woman’s dignity according to IndiGo is the refund of the airfare and a little over half that sum in airline vouchers.”Her post has attracted strong reactions online. Jacob Joh, a security and investigation expert, wrote: “Surely action should be taken if it was intentional infringement.” HR advisor Yankila Thakur commented: “Ah! Incidents like these definitely leave a long-lasting fear. Indigo (InterGlobe Aviation Ltd) where is the empathy?”Another LinkedIn user, Raghav Gakhar, asked: “Shouldn’t that person who barged inside the washroom be fired?” Juie Merchant wrote: “No matter what – whether male or female, invasion of one’s privacy is unforgivable. Indigo should have taken responsibility instead of hiding behind refunds and vouchers.”Brand builder PS Prankika commented: “This is deeply disturbing to read. Indigo this isn’t about refunds or vouchers – not every passenger is seeking compensation. Sometimes, it’s simply about doing the right thing.”Responding to the backlash, IndiGo said it “profoundly apologised” for the “inadvertent mistake by one of our crew.” It added that the crew member had been counselled and sensitised, and training would be reinforced to ensure such incidents are not repeated.An IndiGo source told TNIE that the airline had offered to refund Chaterji’s full fare. “The Flying Officer had made a genuine mistake,” the source said. “There was no forcible opening of the door of the toilet. Possibly, the door was not latched properly and it opened when the Flying Officer pushed it.” The airline declined to share the flight number despite repeated requests.
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