The travel crisis at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) deepened on Saturday as budget carrier IndiGo cancelled an additional 144 flights. This marked the fifth consecutive day of severe disruptions, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and scrambling for last-minute alternatives.
Mounting Cancellations and Passenger Despair
With over 400 flights cancelled since Tuesday, RGIA is witnessing one of its worst operational breakdowns in recent memory. The lack of clear communication from the airline and skyrocketing fares on the few remaining flights pushed desperate travellers towards railways and roadways. However, they found most high-speed trains already sold out, compounding their woes.
Families stuck at the airport described how the crisis ruined critical travel plans. Madhavi S, who spent hours at RGIA, shared her anxiety: "My son has a job interview in Bengaluru on Monday. We missed our flight today, and there's no guarantee IndiGo will accommodate us tomorrow. Even train berths are completely sold out." Similar stories echoed from passengers trying to reach weddings, exam centres, and medical appointments.
Rohit Kumar, a student planning to travel to Chennai, highlighted the complete lack of options: "There are no flights, train berths are full, and private buses are charging exorbitant, festival-like rates. I am effectively stuck in Hyderabad with no way out."
Railways and Roadways Step In
To manage the sudden surge in demand, the South Central Railway (SCR) sprang into action. It announced three special trains to major destinations like Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata. Popular high-speed services, including Vande Bharat, Garib Rath, and Jan Shatabdi trains connecting Hyderabad to Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, and Pune, were fully booked for the next 48 hours. Tickets, especially in AC classes for long-distance routes, were snapped up within minutes of opening.
A senior SCR official stated, "We have established a help desk at RGIA to guide and assist passengers affected by IndiGo's cancellations. This facility aims to provide seamless support, necessary travel information, and guide them towards available train options to reach their destinations."
In a coordinated effort, GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL) and the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) also offered support. On Saturday, special TGSRTC bus services were operated directly from the airport to help travellers reach their homes or key onward destinations like Chennai and Bengaluru. Officials confirmed that additional buses were also run to Rajahmundry, Kakinada, and Visakhapatnam.
IndiGo's Response and the Road Ahead
IndiGo, in a statement, said it is working to stabilise its operations across the network. The airline claimed, "Our teams are intensely focused on stabilising schedules, reducing delays, and supporting customers during this period. The number of cancellations has now dropped below 850 flights network-wide, which is significantly lower than yesterday. We aim to progressively reduce this number over the coming days." The airline added that it is working with airport partners to ensure timely updates are provided to customers at terminals, on its website, and via direct notifications.
Despite these assurances, with no definitive timeline for normalisation, the travel chaos is expected to spill over the entire weekend. The situation underscores the vulnerability of air travel networks to large-scale disruptions and the cascading effect on other modes of transport, leaving passengers paying a high price in terms of money, time, and peace of mind.
