IndiGo flight cancellations disrupt travel nationwide; thousands stranded at airports

New Delhi [India], December 6 (ANI): IndiGo operations across India remained severely disrupted on Saturday, with more than 100 flights cancelled and thousands of passengers stranded at airports in Mumbai, Guwahati and Hyderabad.
Passengers complained of last-minute alerts, lack of communication and long queues as flight operations continued to be hit nationwide.
Delhi Airport recorded one of the highest cancellation counts, with airport authorities confirming that IndiGo's 54 departures and 52 arrivals, a total of 106 flights, were cancelled as of Saturday morning. As of 9:00 am, IndiGo reported 109 cancellations nationwide, including 51 arrivals and 58 departures, according to the airline's operations update.
Hyderabad Airport GMR confirmed that IndiGo has planned 69 cancellations for Saturday. This includes 26 incoming and 43 outgoing flights, affecting overall airport operations.
The impact was felt prominently in the Northeast, where Assam's Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati witnessed scenes of chaos. A large number of passengers waited for hours after flights were abruptly grounded.
An Indian Army personnel travelling with his family said they were caught off guard. "I received no intimation until last night. So, I reached here with my children and family. We were going to Silchar. But after we reached here, we came to know that my IndiGo flight was cancelled," he told ANI.
Another passenger, Sukhchain, said his IndiGo flight had already been cancelled, his 6.30 pm flight on December 5 and rescheduled it for 11 am on Saturday, only to cancel the rescheduled flight as well.
"My IndiGo flight, scheduled for 6.30 pm yesterday, was cancelled. They rescheduled it for 11 am today, but that too has been cancelled now. Airlines says that they will either initiate a refund or we will have to wait," Sukhchain said.
In Mumbai, visuals from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport showed long queues and congested terminals as travellers tried to navigate the uncertainty.
Deepesh Srivastava, who arrived in Mumbai from abroad this morning, said he received no update on his connecting flight. "I was out of India, and I landed here just this morning. I had a flight scheduled for Nagpur at 10.45 am...But this time, I am surprised; when I reached here, they said that the flight is cancelled...IndiGo has not given any further intimation. There is a huge crowd here..."
"We should remain calm. This is not a joke; there is a genuine problem, and that is why there is such a huge problem at hand. We should cooperate and help so that a solution comes out. At least we should not create more problems," Hridayesh told ANI.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has directed airlines, especially IndiGo, to implement measures immediately to resolve the severe disruption to flight schedules and stabilise services without delay, an official statement said.
Two orders have been issued to address problems faced by the public and restore service stability, especially on IndiGo.
The order said, "It is expected: All flight schedules would stabilise and begin returning to normal midnight tonight; Full services and stability should return over the next couple of days; Passengers can track delays, if any, from home through information system installed by IndiGo and others; In the event of flight cancellation IndiGo will ensure automatic full refund for tickets."
"If passengers are stranded, they will be put up at hotels where accommodation has been booked by airlines. Special measures have been taken to ensure senior citizens are not discomfited in any manner. They will be provided with lounge access; Passengers of delayed flights will be provided with refreshments and other necessities; A 24x7 control room at the Ministry of Civil Aviation is constantly monitoring the situation on a time basis," the order further read.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said that the Central Government is fully alert to the woes of air passengers and is in constant consultation with all stakeholders. "Every possible measure, including rule exemptions as announced by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Friday, will be taken to restore schedules and ensure stability to mitigate the public's woes," the statement added. (ANI)