After three days of widespread disruption and passenger distress, the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Bhubaneswar began to show tentative signs of recovery on Saturday evening. The airport, which had been a scene of anger and confusion due to a series of mass flight cancellations by IndiGo, slowly started witnessing an increase in passenger footfall as the airline inched towards restoring its schedule.
A Gradual Return to Normalcy
From around 9 PM on Saturday, the previously sparse terminals saw more activity. Officials confirmed that while 17 IndiGo flights were cancelled for the day, passengers on 20 other flights—comprising 10 departures and an equal number of arrivals—began receiving text messages confirming their rescheduled timings. This signaled a slow but steady resumption of operations for the beleaguered airline.
The change was visible on the ground. Relatives were seen dropping off passengers, and the airport parking lot gradually filled with vehicles. The vehicle passage through dropping points, which had been eerily deserted for most of the day, finally saw some movement, albeit less than the usual rush.
A Day That Began on a Low Note
The day had started with continued anxiety. The space outside the departure lounge remained thin, with only passengers holding tickets for other airlines queuing at check-in counters. Most travelers affected by the IndiGo cancellations chose to stay away, waiting in hotels or residences for updates.
This proactive approach by passengers, who tracked updates online, spared the airport from the severe congestion and unruly scenes witnessed in the preceding days. Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel reported a much easier day, with very few people approaching IndiGo counters for refunds.
Airport Director Prasanna Pradhan stated, "Till 10 in the morning, we were informed about the cancellation of 11 flights. Perhaps learning from the harassment of the past two days, most fliers monitored the situation online." He confirmed that out of the 17 total cancellations, 10 were outgoing flights.
Passenger Experiences and Official Response
The sentiment among stranded passengers was one of weary caution. Raghav Jena, a local businessman, shared his experience of dropping his son for a morning Chennai flight. "It was clear what was happening. The flight showed a delay, and I told my son it would be cancelled. Hours later, it proved true. It was pointless to rush to the airport," he said.
The roads leading to the domestic and international terminals had looked deserted for most of the day, with a drastic drop in taxi and personal vehicle movement. To manage the crisis, airport authorities activated a control cell. "We have opened a control cell to monitor the situation, focusing on passenger safety, convenience, and ensuring safe journeys on operational flights," Pradhan added.
By evening, the scene at the terminal manager's cabin was notably calmer compared to the chaos of the previous 48 hours. BPIA officials noted that only a morning flight and an afternoon flight to Delhi managed to take off, while two other Delhi-bound services were cancelled. The international flight to Abu Dhabi, however, operated on its scheduled time.
The slow turnaround at BPIA marks a critical phase in resolving the travel chaos that left hundreds of passengers stranded, highlighting the challenges of sudden operational breakdowns in air travel.
