IndiGo Flight Chaos Continues, Stranding Hundreds Across India
The extensive air travel disruption affecting IndiGo, India's largest airline, began to show slight improvements on Saturday. However, hundreds of frustrated passengers still found themselves stranded outside major airport hubs in Bengaluru and Mumbai. This marks the fifth consecutive day of significant operational challenges for the carrier, which reported 385 flight cancellations on Saturday alone.
Unprecedented Crisis and Government Intervention
This week has been characterized by nationwide turmoil in air travel, primarily due to IndiGo's decision to cancel thousands of flights. The gravity of the situation prompted the Indian government to step in, offering special relief measures to the airline and even deploying train services to help alleviate the substantial passenger backlog. For the 20-year-old airline, which built its reputation on punctuality and affordable fares, this represents its most significant crisis to date.
Pilot Rules Blamed for Roster Planning Failure
IndiGo has openly admitted to shortcomings in its planning process leading up to a critical November 1 deadline. This deadline introduced stricter regulations for pilots regarding night flying and mandatory weekly rest periods. The airline’s inability to adequately adjust its roster planning in anticipation of these new rules is directly cited as the primary cause for the widespread cancellations. On Friday, the situation was particularly dire, with more than 1,000 IndiGo flights grounded.
While Delhi airport, via a post on X, indicated a steady resumption of flight operations, the impact on certain IndiGo services persisted. Airport sources, as reported by Reuters, confirmed Saturday's cancellations included 124 IndiGo flights in Bengaluru, 109 in Mumbai, 86 in New Delhi, and 66 in Hyderabad.
Hopes for Normalcy Amidst Lingering Frustration
To assist the airline in navigating this crisis, the Indian government has implemented special relaxations to existing operational rules. IndiGo, for its part, has optimistically projected a return to normal service levels sometime between December 10 and 15.
Despite these interventions, the lingering effects were clearly visible on Saturday. Reuters photographers at the scene documented numerous confused passengers congregating outside Bengaluru and Mumbai airports, many of whom were completely unaware of their flight cancellations. One such passenger, Satish Konde, described checking in for a connecting flight from Mumbai to Nagpur only to be informed later of its cancellation, leaving him to await the return of his luggage.
It is noteworthy that other major Indian airlines, including Air India and Akasa, have successfully navigated the implementation of these new pilot regulations without experiencing similar widespread flight cancellations, underscoring the specific challenges faced by IndiGo.