Canadian Influencer Praises Passengers For Rare Display Of Patience On IndiGo Flight: "India Is Changing"

Canadian influencer Caleb Friesen, who has lived in India for over eight years, recently shared a video highlighting a rare moment of discipline on an Indian flight. He recounted a moment he had never seen before on an Indigo flight, where nearly 186 passengers chose to remain seated instead of rushing to disembark. 

During a flight from Mizoram to Kolkata, Friesen noticed a complete lack of the typical rush to stand up once the plane landed. Even after the seatbelt sign was turned off, all passengers remained quietly seated. Friesen, who often highlights India's growth and cultural nuances, found this unusual display of patience noteworthy. He joked about becoming "that uncle" who can't wait to get off the plane but was surprised when everyone stayed seated. 

"Every flight has an Eager Uncle. The guy who can't wait until the seatbelt sign turns off. He stands, and someone from the flight crew shouts at him from the other side of the plane. "Sir, please sir down! Sir!" Every flight has an Eager Uncle. Today, I became that uncle," he wrote in the caption of the video.

Watch the video here:

Every flight has an Eager Uncle.

The guy who can't wait until the seatbelt sign turns off.

He stands, and someone from the flight crew shouts at him from the other side of the plane.

"Sir, please sir down! Sir!"

Every flight has an Eager Uncle.

Today, I became that uncle. pic.twitter.com/d5naB78nZU

— Caleb (@caleb_friesen) January 18, 2026

Friesen used the moment to reflect on India's evolving social landscape. He suggested that India is becoming more patient as the economy matures, stating that the "scarcity mindset" is fading and a higher civic sense is becoming more common. However, he noted that this change isn't universal yet, as his subsequent flight from Kolkata to Bengaluru returned to the "typical" experience of passengers rushing the aisle prematurely. 

Social media users reacted to the video with mixed feelings, some sharing similar rare experiences of orderly boarding in eastern India, while others hoped such public behaviour would become the national standard.

One user wrote, "It happened to my flight from Kolkata to Bangalore recently too. No one stood up until the gates were open. Even when the queue started building up to leave, it was eerily quiet in a 200+ seater aircraft. First time in a long time I was like, "nice."

Another commented, "People who stand up aimlessly once the flight lands should be rounded up and sent for mandatory anxiety treatment. There's just no point in doing it. It's not like you can jump out from the emergency window. But then, airlines keep making the seats so cramped that standing feels more comfortable than sitting. So some people might just be doing it because once the plane lands, it's no more "dangerous" to stand."

A third user added, "Sweet of you to present our flaws with such warmth! & NE "indian" folks are built different. They are and can be the best of what India represents."