Pune Airport descended into chaos over the weekend as a massive wave of flight cancellations by IndiGo left hundreds of passengers stranded, frustrated, and separated from their luggage. The disruptions, which have been ongoing for several days, reached a critical point on Saturday, December 6, 2025, with the airline cancelling a staggering 42 flights – comprising 14 arrivals and 28 departures.
Airport Counters Swamped by Frustrated Travellers
The scene at the IndiGo help desks was one of utter confusion and long delays. Exhausted travellers formed serpentine queues, waiting for hours to get answers about their rescheduled flights, process refunds, or most urgently, locate their missing baggage. The airline's communication systems appeared to have broken down completely, with many passengers claiming they received no prior alerts about the cancellations.
Nupur Shah's experience was typical of the failure in communication. "I found out that my Pune to Chennai flight (6E6714) was cancelled only after reaching the airport," she said. "No mail from IndiGo, no message. I have a senior citizen with me, so now I'm trying to figure out alternate options." This lack of timely information forced many, like Milind Punekar, to make unnecessary trips to the airport. He visited to confirm the status of his Pune to Tirupati flight (6E2486) scheduled for the next day, as the airline's app provided unclear information. "I have around 14 senior citizens travelling with me. If they cancel at the last minute, it will be very problematic," he explained.
The Agonising Search for Missing Luggage
Beyond the flight cancellations, a separate crisis was unfolding around lost baggage. Irate passengers reported that their checked-in luggage had simply vanished. The airline's staff were reportedly manually sifting through piles of unclaimed bags using PNR numbers, a process described as chaotic and inefficient.
Disha Shah, whose Ahmedabad to Pune flight (6E522) had landed two days prior, spent four hours at the airport searching for her bags. "They have lost our luggage. It's so frustrating; even they don't know where our baggage is," she stated. The problem extended to passengers who had already reached their destinations. Ankita Johari was at the Pune airport trying to trace luggage lost on her parents' Pune to Delhi flight (6E6409) from Wednesday. "They had to go to Agra without it. We are here for three hours trying to get it. So many bags are just abandoned, it's such chaos," she lamented.
Personal and Professional Lives Disrupted
The cascading effects of the cancellations ruined important plans and caused significant financial and emotional distress. For Raikishori Dey, the disruption meant missing a cherished family event. "Our Pune to Varanasi flight (6E497) was on the 4th. It was first rescheduled and then cancelled, and now here we are. It was my cousin's wedding; we have missed that now," she shared.
Business travellers were equally impacted. Swayanjeet Mishra, stranded in Pune after his Pune to Ranchi flight (6E6484) was cancelled, voiced the anger of many over the lack of basic support. "I was here on a work trip and now I'm stuck. I have to book an expensive Air India Express flight to get home. They should at least provide hotel bookings or meals. Everyone is suffering," he said.
The situation, described by affected passengers as unpredictable and mentally exhausting, highlights a significant operational failure. With no clear resolution in sight and communication channels failing, the travel plans of hundreds remain in limbo, turning Pune Airport into a hub of passenger discontent.
