IndiGo sets up crisis group as flight chaos continues, Chennai hit hardest

IndiGo has constituted a high-level Crisis Management Group (CMG) as a wave of delays and cancellations continues to disrupt travel nationwide, with Chennai airport facing one of the worst impacts.

The airline said its board of directors convened over the weekend to assess the situation, during which the management gave a comprehensive overview of the scale of disruption. The Board later held a separate session and agreed to establish a CMG to oversee the fast-changing developments.

The group includes chairman Vikram Singh Mehta, board directors Gregg Saretsky, Mike Whitaker and Amitabh Kant, along with CEO Pieter Elbers. According to a company statement, the CMG is meeting frequently and receiving real-time updates on operational measures being taken. Other board members, though not part of the core group, are being consulted through regular calls.

IndiGo said the priority is to restore operational stability and assist passengers facing travel interruptions. Refunds are being processed, and fees for cancellations or rescheduling are being waived. “We are committed to doing everything possible to minimise inconvenience and bring operations back to normal at the earliest,” an airline spokesperson said.

Chennai sees near-total disruption

At Chennai International Airport, almost 100 IndiGo flights were cancelled on Sunday alone, extending a crisis now in its sixth day. Hundreds of passengers were left stranded, with crowds surrounding service counters in the hope of alternate bookings, refunds or last-minute travel options.

With IndiGo dominating several key routes, ticket prices on other airlines surged as passengers scrambled for seats. Travel agents reported a flood of emergency bookings and refund requests.

The disruption stems from a shortage of pilots and cabin crew after the enforcement of tighter duty-time rules. The airline has been unable to staff flights adequately, resulting in rolling cancellations across domestic and some international routes. In the past five days, more than 2,000 services are estimated to have been cancelled nationwide.

Reports from Chennai described frayed tempers as passengers confronted airline staff over delayed alerts, sudden cancellations and a lack of clear information. Many travellers said they only learnt of the disruption after arriving at the terminal, while some waited hours for confirmation of refunds or rebooking.

Families with children and senior citizens have been among those most affected. The issue reached Parliament, prompting the Union government to intervene. Officials said temporary relief has been granted on crew duty-time norms to stabilise the network. Flight operations are expected to improve within 24 hours, with normal schedules anticipated in about three days.

For now, however, uncertainty continues to cloud travel plans, especially in Chennai, as cancellations and delays persist despite assurances of a gradual return to normalcy.

With IANS inputs