Hundreds of air passengers in Nagpur were left scrambling for alternatives over the last two days after a series of abrupt flight disruptions and cancellations by IndiGo. With little to no timely information from the airline, travelers were forced to seek emergency road transport to reach major metropolitan cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru.
Private Bus Operators Step Into the Breach
Private sleeper bus operators witnessed an unprecedented surge in demand as flight schedules at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport fell into disarray. Mukesh Chaurasiya, who operates a fleet of sleeper coaches, reported a sharp spike in bookings. "Yesterday alone, I had to deploy four to five buses from Nagpur to Mumbai following the flight cancellations," Chaurasiya told TOI. He revealed that his buses were even dispatched directly to the airport terminal to pick up stranded passengers, particularly after a flight to Bengaluru was canceled.
Despite the sudden and overwhelming influx of desperate passengers, operators like Chaurasiya maintained that they did not exploit the situation by hiking fares. "We provided the buses at normal rates. People were genuinely relieved because they had virtually no other option left," he stated. The demand was not one-sided; Chaurasiya noted a significant reverse flow as well, with five to seven buses traveling from Mumbai back to Nagpur on the following day.
Passengers Left Confused and Helpless
The situation at the airport was one of confusion and distress. Another bus operator, who chose to remain anonymous, described passengers as "confused and helpless" due to poor communication from the airline. Flight updates were either severely delayed or never arrived, leaving people in the lurch. "People reached the airport only to be told their flight was canceled. By then, it was too late to book train tickets, making buses the only reliable fallback," the operator explained.
The urgency of the passengers' situations was palpable. Transporters had to mobilize buses within minutes to help travelers meet critical commitments. "We had families rushing to Mumbai for weddings and professionals with urgent business meetings. We tried to provide door-to-door service because the communication from the airlines was so inadequate," shared another transporter.
Passenger Ordeals and Practical Solutions
For passengers, the cancellations meant replanning entire journeys at a moment's notice, often at a higher cost and with more travel time. Samavedula Saumya, one of the affected travelers, recounted her experience. "After the flight cancellations, I had to plan my entire journey afresh. I ended up stitching the trip together with two bus bookings—first to Hyderabad and then onward to Nagpur. It wasn't planned, and it definitely added to the cost and time, but at least it kept me moving," she said.
Online checks for bus fares on Saturday showed that AC sleeper seats from Nagpur to Mumbai were available for less than Rs 3,000. While routes to Bengaluru saw some price inflation, other destinations like Pune and Hyderabad showed little to no surge in fares. Meanwhile, bus operators reported receiving inquiries from other cities like Delhi but highlighted their limited capacity to meet all requests.
The incident underscores the vulnerability of air travelers to sudden operational disruptions and highlights the critical role alternative transport networks play during such crises. With uncertainty over refund timelines from the airline, the dependable service of private bus operators provided a crucial lifeline for stranded passengers in Nagpur.
