‘Unboxing’ clip of IndiGo’s apology kit after nine-hour delay delights and irritates travellers

A short, quietly funny video posted by an IndiGo passenger over the weekend has turned a frustrating delay into an unexpected online spectacle. The traveller, stranded for nine hours at an airport, filmed an “unboxing” of the airline’s so-called Apology Kit — a small blue bag filled with an assortment of snacks and toiletries. Within hours, the clip had travelled across social media, where it sparked equal measures of amusement, sympathy and exasperation.

A simple bag of snacks becomes the internet’s latest travel talking point

The tone of the video carried the charm of someone trying to keep spirits up after an exhausting day. The passenger laid out each item with careful, almost ceremonious attention: a packet of tissues, a tiny mint box, a biscuit bar, some savoury snacks and, to the surprise of many viewers, a sealed pouch of popcorn. The popcorn in particular became the star of the show, prompting a tide of jokes about whether it was meant to soften tempers or simply distract passengers from the long wait.

IndiGo later issued a brief statement acknowledging the delay, saying the kits were handed out “as a courtesy gesture” on a day when multiple operational issues forced the schedule into disarray. The airline did not comment directly on the viral clip, though staff members privately expressed that they were “glad people found some humour in a difficult situation.”

Reactions online, however, were far from uniform. One group of travellers praised the attempt, noting that many low-cost carriers offer little beyond a curt announcement when delays stretch into the evening. Others questioned the utility of a snack bag after hours spent pacing an airport terminal, arguing that small comforts rarely make up for lost sleep, missed connections or frazzled nerves.

Travel analysts pointed out that airlines increasingly lean on gestures like these—not because they change the experience, but because they acknowledge it. “Passengers want to feel seen,” one industry expert wrote in response to the video, adding that even modest items can ease tensions if handled with sincerity.

In comment sections, users swapped stories of their own travel misfortunes: kits containing instant noodles, tiny deodorant sprays, even a sleep mask so thin it “felt like tracing paper.” Some offered tongue-in-cheek suggestions for future Apology Kits, including energy drinks, sudoku books and vouchers for airport lounges.

If nothing else, the IndiGo clip captured a truth familiar to anyone who travels regularly: when delays stretch beyond reason, humour becomes a survival tool, and a small bag of snacks can briefly turn misery into something everyone can laugh about together.

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