Chaos and confusion gripped the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport in Nagpur as IndiGo Airlines temporarily suspended ticket sales from its physical counters until December 15. The abrupt move, citing extreme operational uncertainty, left numerous passengers stranded and frustrated.
Uncertainty Leads to Counter Closure and Passenger Ordeal
An IndiGo staffer at the Nagpur airport counter, while maintaining a polite demeanour, delivered a stark warning to prospective travellers. "Please don't ask for any tickets until December 15. It's quite uncertain; who knows, you may board a plane and then be asked to get off. It has been happening for the last two-three days," the employee stated. This alarming scenario was confirmed by other sources, who revealed that while pilots usually declare their Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) in advance leading to pre-emptive cancellations, recent instances saw passengers being informed only after they had boarded the aircraft.
The situation created a harrowing experience for many. A couple, booked on a flight to Bengaluru with a connecting journey to Malaysia, found their plans in disarray. "The Bengaluru flight was cancelled. We will have to look for an alternative, or else the money paid for hotel bookings would be lost," the husband explained. Another family, headed to Udaipur via Mumbai, had to be rebooked onto a last-minute flight after their initial leg was axed.
Airfare Caps Ignored as Prices Skyrocket
Compounding the travel woes was the apparent non-implementation of government-capped airfares. A check at airline counters revealed that for key routes from December 9 to 10, economy class seats were either unavailable or priced well above the mandated limits.
For distances under 1,000 km, the fare is capped at Rs 12,000. However, fares for a Nagpur to Mumbai flight (approx. 690 km) were found to be over Rs 20,000. On the Nagpur to Delhi route (over 850 km), only business class tickets priced at a staggering Rs 50,000 were available. Similarly, for Bengaluru, which is about 950 km away, the rates hovered around Rs 14,000, exceeding the cap. Airline staff, in a curious twist, advised passengers to check online portals for potentially lower fares.
Online Portals vs Airport Counters: A Tale of Two Prices
While IndiGo halted counter sales, a significant discrepancy emerged between airport prices and online travel portals. Despite the counter freeze, leading online portals continued to sell IndiGo tickets for travel before December 15. For instance, Nagpur to Delhi tickets were available online for approximately Rs 6,500, and Mumbai tickets in a similar range—far lower than the counter prices for other available airlines.
An airport employee clarified the rationale, stating, "The portals are selling tickets, but the counter had stopped considering the uncertainty." IndiGo, addressing the disruption, issued a statement offering a full waiver on cancellation and rescheduling fees for all bookings made for travel up to December 15.
A silver lining appeared for post-December 16 travel, with a sharp drop in fares observed at airport counters. This price correction coincides with the conclusion of the state legislature's winter session in Nagpur, suggesting the earlier surge was demand-driven.
