IndiGo passengers face fifth day of flight cancellations, delays

Air travellers continued to wrestle with chaos and uncertainty on Saturday, as IndiGo’s domestic flights entered their fifth consecutive day of cancellations and delays, leaving tens of thousands stranded in limbo.

What was meant to be the routine hum of a bustling airport had transformed into a scene of frustration, mounting expenses, and unanswered questions.

Brijesh Singh, a Surat-based businessman who had travelled to Kolkata to meet his family, said: “My IndiGo flight was abruptly cancelled yesterday, and like hundreds of other passengers, I’ve faced significant financial and operational setbacks. As a factory owner who relies on tight production schedules, this two-day delay has thrown my work and commitments into disarray. Airlines must take responsibility for the chaos they’ve caused across the country,” said Brijesh Singh, a Surat-based businessman who had travelled to Kolkata to meet his family.

At Indira Gandhi International Airport, passengers shared tales of prolonged misery. One traveller recounted, “I had a programme to attend in Agartala. My flight was cancelled yesterday, so I booked another for today. At the entry gate, CISF personnel assured me the flight would operate. Yet, at the check-in counter, I was told it was cancelled again. They said I couldn’t get a ticket before December 8. I only asked for a refund of what I had already paid.”

Another passenger described a more harrowing ordeal: “I have been at the airport for four days. Every flight keeps getting rescheduled and then cancelled. I am a neuro patient; I felt dizzy and collapsed. I was admitted to Medanta. Yesterday, the staff promised a refund, but this morning they told me to board the flight instead. There is no clear solution, no refund, just confusion.”

IndiGo, which operates a fleet of more than 400 aircraft and around 2,300 flights daily, had apologised on Friday for the widespread disruptions, assuring passengers that refunds would be processed for all cancelled services. The turmoil is being attributed to a sudden shortage of pilots, reportedly stemming from planning lapses, which has sent the airline’s punctuality plummeting and operations into a state of precarious instability — a situation expected to persist for several more days.

In response, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has constituted a high-level, four-member committee to conduct a thorough review of the events, evaluate the airline’s operational preparedness, and ascertain the root causes of the disruptions.

Meanwhile, civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu emphasised that the government’s immediate priority is to restore normalcy and provide support to stranded passengers. Speaking to the media, he said:
“…We have formed a committee to inquire into all of this, to establish where things went wrong and who was responsible. Necessary action will be taken accordingly.”

For the thousands caught in this unfolding saga, the airport has become a theatre of frustration, resilience, and patience — as they await both the return of normalcy and the fulfilment of promises long overdue.

With IANS inputs