Chaos and confusion gripped the Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (CCSIA) in Lucknow on Saturday as a fresh wave of flight cancellations left hundreds of travelers stranded and frustrated. The disruptions led to long, unruly queues and heated confrontations at airline counters, painting a picture of distress for many.
Scenes of Disorder and Passenger Anger
According to official figures from airport authorities, the day saw a significant number of grounded flights. A total of 21 arriving IndiGo flights and 20 departing IndiGo services were cancelled. Additionally, one Air India flight was also axed. This cascade of cancellations directly resulted in massive crowds forming at airline help desks.
Tensions ran high as weary passengers, their travel plans in disarray, waited for answers and alternatives. Eyewitnesses reported several heated arguments and even minor physical jostling, particularly at the IndiGo counters. Videos capturing these confrontations quickly spread across social media platforms, highlighting the scale of the disorder. Anxious travelers were seen scrambling for real-time information and making frantic attempts to secure alternative bookings.
Airline's Response and Recovery Claims
Later in the day, IndiGo issued a press statement acknowledging the widespread disruption. The airline sought to assure customers that the situation was being brought under control. "The number of cancellations has dropped below 850 flights, significantly lower compared to Friday," the statement read.
It further claimed that over 95% of the airline's network connectivity had been re-established by Saturday, with operations restored to 135 out of its 138 destinations. IndiGo stated that efforts are ongoing to progressively reduce cancellations in the coming days and urged all passengers to check their latest flight status via the airline's website or app before heading to the airport.
Passenger Advisories and Too-Late Assurances
The airline advised affected travelers to visit specific web links for immediate assistance. For real-time flight updates, passengers were directed to https://www.goindigo.in/check-flight-status.html. Those with refund-related queries were asked to go to https://www.goindigo.in/refund.html.
Despite these assurances and directives, for a large number of passengers, the communication came too late to salvage their carefully made travel itineraries. The day of travel turned into one of long waits, uncertainty, and significant inconvenience, with many left to deal with the fallout of cancelled plans.
