Passengers flying from Pune are facing significant travel disruptions as budget carrier IndiGo has decided to curtail six of its flights operating to and from the city until the end of the year. This sudden schedule revision has sparked a fresh wave of anxiety among flyers who had booked tickets on these now-cancelled routes, leaving many stranded and confused about their travel plans.
Flyers Stranded and Seeking Answers
One affected traveler, Param Prakash Gupta, had booked a trip from Varanasi to Pune for the New Year period back in November. His flight is among those axed. "I booked this trip in Nov. Now, it is a tedious task getting information from them (airline), and I am stuck. I don't know what to do," Gupta expressed his frustration. His predicament is shared by numerous other passengers caught in this last-minute cancellation chaos.
Airport officials in Pune confirmed on Monday evening that the up and down flights connecting Pune to Varanasi, Guwahati, Chennai, and Bengaluru will remain cancelled until December 31. For destinations like Varanasi and Guwahati, which had only one to two direct connections, the impact is particularly severe.
Communication Gap and Refund Worries
Flyers have raised serious concerns about the timing and communication of these cancellations. Sharad Pal, a software programmer based in Pune, pointed out inconsistencies. "The airline earlier announced that those cancelling their tickets till Dec 15 would get a full refund. How come the airport announced this only on Monday when the IndiGo problem has been on for almost 10-15 days?" he questioned.
Pal, who booked a flight from Guwahati to Pune for the first week of January, is now stuck in a loop with the airline's customer care. His primary concern is the financial hit. "Airfare caps are not quite working and now if I reschedule or take a one-stop flight, that will cost me a huge sum as it is the peak season. I just wanted to know whether the airline would provide me a full refund?" he added. The fear of exorbitant last-minute fares for alternative flights is a common thread among stranded passengers.
Another traveler with a Pune to Bengaluru flight later this month echoed the sentiment, stating that last-minute bookings come with a hefty price tag. "Suddenly the whole idea of flying has become troublesome in the country because of so many reasons," he remarked.
Airline's Stance and Operational Impact
While an official statement from IndiGo was awaited, a source claimed these were "planned cancellations" and that passengers were well-informed and provided with alternative options. An official indicated that in the cases mentioned, the airline would be providing a full refund.
However, this assurance has failed to convince many passengers who are familiar with the slow refund processes. Suman Kumar, scheduled to travel to Varanasi next week, highlighted a key issue: "A majority do the bookings via travel portals and they take 10-15 days or even more to process the refund. Everything said, hassles are still on."
Operationally, the cuts have made a dent in Pune's air connectivity. Prior to these cancellations, IndiGo operated an average of 56 out of the 101 daily flights from Pune. The airline had around six flights to Bengaluru and six to Chennai. Following these reductions, the total aircraft movements at Pune airport, which typically ranged between 190 and 203, have now dipped to 188.
