Hundreds of passengers faced severe travel disruptions at Patna's Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport on Saturday after IndiGo cancelled nearly half of its scheduled flights. The airline scrapped 11 out of its 28 planned flights, citing operational reasons, which led to chaos and confusion within the terminal building.
Widespread Cancellations and Passenger Anguish
The mass cancellations included almost all flights connecting Patna with major Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, and Ahmedabad. SpiceJet also cancelled one flight on the Ahmedabad route. According to airport authorities, IndiGo alone has cancelled more than 50 flights to and from Patna in the last four days, indicating a persistent problem.
Inside the airport, long queues, frayed tempers, and anxious appeals became the norm as passengers scrambled for information and alternatives. Many were forced to book last-minute flights at exorbitant prices, while others desperately sought road transport.
Official Explanation and Passenger Stories
Airport Director Chandra Pratap Dwivedi explained the situation. He stated that the morning cancellations were due to a software-related issue linked to recent DGCA guidelines not being properly incorporated into the airline's rostering software. The Indian government has since granted IndiGo a temporary exemption due to the ongoing operational disruption.
Regarding SpiceJet's cancellation, Dwivedi attributed it to the airline's regular aircraft availability issues. He assured that all affected passengers were taken care of with alternate arrangements, including immediate refunds or road transport for those from nearby areas.
However, passenger accounts painted a picture of distress and significant personal cost:
- Mohd Sajjad, heading to Kuwait via Delhi and Mumbai, found his plans in jeopardy as he was offered a rebooking for December 9, missing his international connection on December 7.
- Mohd Arif, travelling to Muscat, received a cancellation message after reaching the airport. His original ticket cost Rs 17,000, but a new direct flight to Delhi alone was priced over Rs 13,000. He feared losing his job if he failed to reach on time.
- A group of 20 people, including Buddhist monk Gyanjyoti Bhikhu from Tripura, were stranded after their flight to Kolkata and onward to Agartala was cancelled. They expressed frustration over the airline's inability to arrange for such a large group.
- Patna-based urologist Dr. Ajay Kumar, stuck in Pune, had to pay a staggering Rs 82,000 for Air India tickets to get back home via Delhi after his IndiGo flight was cancelled on Friday evening.
Looking Ahead
Despite the day's chaos, Airport Director Dwivedi noted that the rest of the flights operated normally and most were on time. He expressed optimism for smoother operations by the next week as the airline resolves its software and rostering challenges. For now, the incident highlights the vulnerability of air travel to technical glitches and the heavy toll it takes on passengers' finances and plans.
