The ongoing operational chaos gripping IndiGo airlines, characterized by mass flight cancellations and delays due to a severe pilot shortage, has led to a bizarre and heartbreaking incident in Hubballi, Karnataka. A newly married couple was unable to attend their own wedding reception, forcing the event to be held entirely online via video conferencing.
The unfortunate incident took place at the Gujarat Bhavan in Hubballi, where the reception was scheduled to celebrate the marriage of Medha Kshirasagar (from Hubballi) and Sangama Das (from Bhubaneswar). Both Medha and Sangama are working as Software Engineers in Bengaluru.
The Travel Nightmare and Cancellation
The couple had tied the knot in Bhubaneswar on November 23rd. The reception, hosted by the bride's family, was organized in her hometown, Hubballi, on Wednesday, December 4th. The family had made elaborate arrangements at the Gujarat Bhavan to host guests.
To get to Hubballi on time, the couple had booked an IndiGo flight ticket for December 2nd, flying from Bhubaneswar to Bengaluru, and then connecting to Hubballi. Several relatives also had tickets booked from Bhubaneswar to Hubballi via Mumbai.
Their travel nightmare began on the morning of December 2nd. The flight was initially delayed from 9:00 AM until the early hours of the following morning (December 3rd, 4:00-5:00 AM). Eventually, the flight was abruptly cancelled on the morning of December 3rd, leaving the couple and their relatives stranded far away from the reception venue.
An Online Reception: Parents Stand In
Faced with the last-minute cancellation and inability to reschedule a flight in time for the ceremony, the families made an unprecedented decision. To uphold the tradition and not disappoint the hundreds of guests gathered at the Gujarat Bhavan, the reception proceeded without the bride and groom.
In a poignant display of love and necessity, the bride's parents sat in the chairs designated for the newly married couple, acting as proxies. Meanwhile, the bride and groom, dressed in their reception attire, joined the event from Bhubaneswar via video conferencing. The entire ceremony, including the customary rituals, was conducted with the couple participating virtually, while their parents represented them physically.
