Smoke Before Takeoff: IndiGo Flight's Bengaluru Departure Takes an Unexpected Turn, Passengers Evacuated

New Delhi: An IndiGo Airbus A321neo operating a scheduled flight from Bengaluru to Chennai was involved in an emergency evacuation on Tuesday after smoke was reportedly detected during taxiing for departure, prompting the airline to activate safety protocols and evacuate all passengers and crew members.

The aircraft, registered as VT-IME, was preparing to operate flight 6E6017 and had completed pushback procedures at Bengaluru airport when the incident occurred. Emergency slides were deployed, and passengers were evacuated from the aircraft as a precautionary measure.

In an official statement, an IndiGo spokesperson said, "On 26 May 2026, while IndiGo flight 6E6017 from Bengaluru to Chennai was taxing out to the runway for departure, smoke was noticed in the aircraft. In the interest of safety, an immediate evacuation was carried out, and all the relevant authorities were informed."

The airline confirmed that all passengers and crew members are safe and have been moved back to the terminal building, where support teams are assisting them. IndiGo further said that an alternate aircraft had been arranged to operate the flight and that refreshments were being provided to passengers during the delay.

As of now, neither IndiGo nor the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has disclosed the exact cause behind the smoke incident. It remains unclear whether the smoke originated from the cabin, cockpit, or any technical system onboard the aircraft.

Further details regarding the cause of the incident are awaited as authorities begin an assessment of the situation.

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