The South Central Railway (SCR) stepped in on Saturday to manage a massive surge in stranded passengers after a large-scale cancellation of IndiGo flights from Hyderabad threw travel plans into disarray. The railway zone announced it would operate four special trains to key destinations to clear the extra rush.
Railways Respond to Aviation Crisis
In a swift response to the chaos at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, the SCR issued a press release detailing its plan. The special trains are being run to ferry affected passengers from Hyderabad to Chennai, Mumbai, and Shalimar (Kolkata). This move is a direct effort to provide alternative travel options and alleviate the pressure caused by the aviation disruption.
Scale of IndiGo's Flight Cancellations
The trigger for this railway intervention was the cancellation of a significant number of IndiGo flights. According to reports, as many as 43 outbound IndiGo flights were cancelled from Hyderabad on Saturday alone. Furthermore, airport authorities indicated that approximately 26 incoming flights were also likely to be cancelled during the day, compounding the travel nightmare.
The abrupt cancellations led to scenes of frustration and anger at the airport. Passengers crowded around IndiGo counters, demanding clear information and solutions. The lack of communication from the airline staff added to the travellers' woes.
Passenger Outrage and CEO Apology
Among the affected flyers was Tarun Singha, the former Ministry of Defence spokesperson, who expressed his fury on social media platform X. He recounted receiving a message that his departure was rescheduled earlier, only to find out at the security checkpoint that his IndiGo flight was cancelled. Another netizen highlighted the poor ground response, stating that an IndiGo staff member appeared only after a fellow passenger started shouting on a microphone, following an hour with no information or staff.
This incident follows a wider pattern of disruptions for the airline. On Friday, IndiGo had cancelled over 1,000 flights across its network. The airline's CEO, Pieter Elbers, issued a video apology for the major inconvenience caused to passengers. In his one-way communication, Elbers also stated that the airline was expecting to operate fewer than 1,000 flights on Saturday, indicating that the operational challenges were ongoing.
The proactive step by the South Central Railway underscores the severe impact of the flight cancellations and highlights the importance of inter-modal transport coordination during such crises. While the special trains offer immediate relief, the incident raises serious questions about airline communication and contingency planning during operational meltdowns.
