A sudden wave of flight cancellations by IndiGo over the past three days has thrown travel plans into disarray in Indore, leading to an unexpected and sharp spike in demand for rental cabs. This surge has forced cab operators to immediately increase their tariffs by Rs 3 to 4 per kilometer.
Travel Chaos Fuels Unprecedented Demand
With hundreds of passengers left stranded or scrambling to change their arrangements, cab services are experiencing one of the most intense short-term business booms this season. The abrupt shortage of flights on major routes compelled many travelers to book intercity cabs for long distances at the very last minute.
This rush significantly tightened vehicle availability across the city. The demand was particularly acute for routes connecting Indore to Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Pune, and Bhopal.
Operators Struggle with Doubled Bookings
Cab drivers and company owners reported a dramatic shift in their daily operations. Satendra Pal, a driver operating rental cabs in Indore, revealed that demand more than doubled in just two days.
"Earlier, we would get two or three intercity bookings a day, but now calls are coming throughout the day," Pal said. He confirmed that the combination of high demand and low availability directly led to the tariff increase of Rs 3-4 per km.
Jitu Ojha, the owner of a rental car service company, explained the ripple effect created by the flight cancellations. "Many people who had confirmed return flights are now booking cabs at the last minute. This pushed up rates across the entire market," Ojha stated. He added that to manage the situation, several vehicles meant for outstation trips have been diverted to accommodate these urgent long-distance bookings.
Wedding Guests and Business Travelers Hit Hard
The impact of this travel disruption extended beyond casual travelers, severely affecting wedding guests and business commuters. A group of guests from Mumbai, who had flown to Indore for a wedding, found themselves with no option but to undertake a grueling road journey back after their return flight was canceled.
One of the affected travelers shared their ordeal, stating, "We never imagined we would have to travel 12 hours by cab. The flight was canceled just a few hours before departure, and we had no other choice." This sentiment echoes the frustration of numerous passengers caught in the sudden logistical crisis.
The incident highlights the vulnerability of travel plans reliant on a single mode of transport and how a breakdown in one sector can create immediate pressure on alternative networks, leading to significant cost implications for consumers.
