Passengers traveling through Pune and Mumbai faced significant disruption over the weekend as budget carrier IndiGo cancelled a large number of flights. The airline's operational challenges led to widespread schedule changes, impacting hundreds of travelers.
Major Disruptions at Pune Airport
On Sunday, a total of 50 IndiGo flights were cancelled at Pune airport, as confirmed by Pune Airport Director Santosh Dhoke. The cancellations were evenly split, affecting 25 departures and 25 arrivals. Despite the significant number of grounded flights, Dhoke noted that 64 of the airline's flights managed to operate on schedule. He assured that other airlines were not impacted, stating, "Other flights were operating as per their schedule, and there were no delays."
The situation was expected to spill over into Monday. IndiGo preemptively cancelled approximately 36 flights at the Pune airport for the start of the week, although officials indicated this number was subject to change. Airport authorities have been actively involved in mitigating passenger inconvenience. "Airport teams are present on the ground and doing everything to manage the situation. We are providing all possible help to the passengers. The situation is turning back to normal," Dhoke told the Times of India.
Continued Cancellations in Mumbai
The flight cancellation wave extended to India's financial capital, Mumbai. On the same Sunday, IndiGo cancelled 121 flights at Mumbai airport. This included 60 arriving flights and 61 departures. While the sheer volume of cancellations was high, the airline implemented a strategy to reduce chaos at the terminals.
An IndiGo CEO statement revealed that the airline executed cancellations at an earlier stage. This proactive measure aimed to ensure passengers did not make unnecessary trips to the airport after their flights were axed. Consequently, the number of stranded passengers at the Mumbai airport decreased compared to previous days. However, for those whose flights were still operating, delays persisted throughout Sunday, with most flights running behind schedule by one to two hours.
Managing Passenger Fallout
The dual disruptions in two major Maharashtra cities highlight ongoing operational pressures for the airline. The focus from both IndiGo and airport authorities has been on passenger communication and support. By cancelling flights well in advance, the airline attempted to prevent overcrowding and long waits at airport counters, a common sight during sudden operational meltdowns.
While Pune Airport Director Santosh Dhoke expressed confidence about a return to normalcy, the pre-planned cancellations for Monday suggest the airline is taking a cautious approach to stabilize its schedule. Passengers are advised to check their flight status directly with the airline before heading to the airport in the coming days.
