नवीनतम
IndiGo flight cancellations disrupt travel nationwide
NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: Domestic carrier IndiGo has cancelled over 400 flights from four major airports on Saturday, a day after managing to temporarily secure major relaxations in the second phase of the court-mandated new flight duty and rest period norms for the cockpit crew, sources said.
Of these, 124 flights (63 departures and 61 arrivals) were cancelled at Bengaluru airport and 109 flights -- 51 departures and 58 arrivals -- at Mumbai airport, they said.
The number of cancellations at Delhi airport stood at 106, including 54 departures and 52 arrivals, the sources said, adding that 66 flights have been cancelled by IndiGo at Hyderabad airport.
Passengers complained of last-minute alerts, lack of communication and long queues as flight operations continued to be hit nationwide.
Delhi Airport recorded one of the highest cancellation counts, with airport authorities confirming that IndiGo's 54 departures and 52 arrivals, a total of 106 flights, were cancelled as of Saturday morning. As of 9:00 am, IndiGo reported 109 cancellations nationwide, including 51 arrivals and 58 departures, according to the airline's operations update.
Hyderabad Airport GMR confirmed that IndiGo has planned 69 cancellations for Saturday. This includes 26 incoming and 43 outgoing flights, affecting overall airport operations.
The impact was felt prominently in the Northeast, where Assam's Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati witnessed scenes of chaos. A large number of passengers waited for hours after flights were abruptly grounded.
In Madhya Pradesh, IndiGo flight cancellations continued to cause inconvenience to passengers, with most services from Indore remaining suspended.
Passengers arriving from various cities said they were still waiting for their baggage. Several passengers who reached Indore after their flights were rescheduled reported that their luggage had not arrived with them. Many of them reached Indore's Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport on Friday to trace their belongings.
In Mumbai, visuals from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport showed long queues and congested terminals as travellers tried to navigate the uncertainty.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has directed airlines, especially IndiGo, to implement measures immediately to resolve the severe disruption to flight schedules and stabilise services without delay, an official statement said.
Two orders have been issued to address problems faced by the public and restore service stability, especially on IndiGo.
The order said, "It is expected: All flight schedules would stabilise and begin returning to normal midnight tonight; Full services and stability should return over the next couple of days; Passengers can track delays, if any, from home through information system installed by IndiGo and others; In the event of flight cancellation IndiGo will ensure automatic full refund for tickets."
"If passengers are stranded, they will be put up at hotels where accommodation has been booked by airlines. Special measures have been taken to ensure senior citizens are not discomfited in any manner. They will be provided with lounge access; Passengers of delayed flights will be provided with refreshments and other necessities; A 24x7 control room at the Ministry of Civil Aviation is constantly monitoring the situation on a time basis," the order further read.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said that the Central Government is fully alert to the woes of air passengers and is in constant consultation with all stakeholders. "Every possible measure, including rule exemptions as announced by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Friday, will be taken to restore schedules and ensure stability to mitigate the public's woes," the statement added.
