India's aviation sector is grappling with a severe crisis as the country's largest budget carrier, IndiGo, extended its major operational disruptions into a fifth consecutive day on Saturday. The airline cancelled over 500 flights across its network, leaving thousands of passengers in a state of distress and confusion at airports nationwide.
Passenger Ordeal and Nationwide Impact
The cascading effect of the cancellations was felt acutely in several major cities. Kolkata's Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport saw 62 flights, both departures and arrivals, scrapped, leading to long queues and palpable frustration among travellers. However, the worst-hit hub was Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport, which recorded a staggering 124 flight cancellations.
The situation at airport terminals was chaotic. A critical lack of clear information on flight schedules and cancellations forced passengers to crowd around airline counters. Many also struggled to locate their missing baggage, adding to the turmoil. The collapse in connectivity had an immediate side effect: a sharp spike in airfares on key routes. This perfect storm of problems triggered a barrage of angry complaints from flyers on social media platforms.
Personal Stories of Disruption and Missed Moments
The statistics translate into real human hardship. Senior citizen Vijay Mehta, travelling with his wife back to Bengaluru after a wedding in Kolkata, had his December 5 tickets cancelled. He only received reissued seats by 3:10 PM on Saturday. After a web check-in message, he later discovered the flight was first delayed and then cancelled. At the airport, the couple was handed tickets for a Monday evening departure via Ahmedabad. "Our travel plan and my office schedule has gone haywire," Mehta lamented.
For Sulagna Roy and her two friends heading to Goa via Bengaluru, a series of delays on their Saturday morning flight meant they missed their connecting flight in Bengaluru, leaving them stranded. Perhaps the most poignant story is that of Rimisha Das from Kestopur, who missed her best friend's destination wedding in Goa. Her Friday flight was cancelled, rescheduled to Saturday, cancelled again, and finally pushed to Monday. She expressed frustration that while she could see tickets for Saturday on IndiGo's website, the airline only offered her a Sunday seat.
Regulatory Intervention and Airline's Response
With passenger anger reaching a boiling point, the civil aviation ministry intervened. It directed IndiGo to clear all pending refunds by 8 PM on Sunday and to trace and deliver all separated baggage within 48 hours.
In its communication, IndiGo had previously indicated that disruptions might continue until December 15, offering a full waiver for cancellations made during this period. In a fresh statement on Saturday, the airline acknowledged the ongoing cancellations but claimed a gradual improvement. It stated it was "working determinedly" to stabilise its schedule.
The airline reported that the number of cancellations for the day had dropped below 850, which it claimed was much lower than the previous day. It aimed to operate over 1,500 flights by the end of the day and had re-established over 95% of its network connectivity, operating to 135 out of its 138 destinations.
As the airline works to restore normalcy, the episode highlights the vulnerability of air travel logistics and the significant ripple effects of large-scale operational failures on the plans and finances of thousands of Indians.
