Travellers wait at IndiGo ticketing kiosks at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Bengaluru/Hyderabad/Delhi: Sixty-two flights in Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) were among the over 100 that IndiGo cancelled as of Wednesday evening as the airline grappled with operational disruptions.
The cancellations at KIA include 31 arrivals and as many departures besides delays.
According to a KIA source, arrivals from Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Goa, Kolkata and Lucknow were cancelled. Among the departure flights impacted were Mumbai, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata and Ahmedabad. An IndiGo representative attributed the cancellations to operational reasons and a cascading effect of multiple delays.
At least 38 flights were also cancelled at the Delhi airport, 33 at the Mumbai airport and 31 at the Hyderabad airport.
“A multitude of unforeseen operational challenges, including minor technology glitches, schedule changes linked to the winter season, adverse weather conditions, increased congestion in the aviation system and the implementation of updated crew rostering rules (Flight Duty Time Limitations) had a negative compounding impact on our operations in a way that was not feasible to be anticipated,” the airline said in a statement.
However, a BIAL spokesperson confirmed that there was no congestion at KIA on Wednesday.
The company has initiated calibrated adjustments to restore stability. “These measures will remain in place for the next 48 hours and will allow us to normalise our operations and progressively recover our punctuality across the network,” it said.
Twenty IndiGo flights were also cancelled at KIA on December 2. Passengers at the airport have complained about severe delays, between one and three hours, in IndiGo flights over the past week.
Many passengers have taken to social media to voice their frustrations.
“Harrowing experience with #Indigoairlines #Indigo They cancelled 11.30 am non-stop flight from Udaipur to Bengaluru, intimated that at 8 am. The online alternatives given for today were all connecting flights of 10 + hr reaching midnight or next day in Bangalore. There’s no compensation, no proper alternative arrangements, no importance for customer convenience. Not even any food options are offered for such an inconvenience. #Indigo charged me nearly Rs 7.5k for a non-stop flight. I now don’t know when at all I am going to reach Bangalore,” Eupa Basu wrote on X.
Another X user, Vikram Parth, shared, “Unacceptable flight delays by @IndiGo6E. 6Е5293 from Bangalore to Mumbai delayed multiple times. From 12.30 pm to 2.05 pm to 3.45 pm to 4.40 pm. Wasting the entire day at the airport thanks to Indigo. Thousands of passengers stranded in Bangalore airport.”
At the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad, angry passengers engaged in heated arguments with the airline’s ground staff.
At one point Lord Ayyappa devotees broke into impromptu bhajans in protest, expressing frustration over the lack of clear communication from the airline.
Sources at RGIA said IndiGo cancelled at least 13 outgoing flights at Hyderabad to various destinations, including Delhi and Bengaluru.
In addition to the outgoing flights, 18 incoming flights from different destinations were also cancelled, while nine flights had been called off on Tuesday.
Videos circulating on social media showed frustrated passengers confronting IndiGo staff over prolonged delays. One user on X wrote, “Deeply unfortunate to see #Ayyappa devotees forced to protest at Hyderabad Airport after @IndiGo6E failed to address hours-long delays. Passengers deserve clarity and responsible service. Hope the authorities take immediate action,” tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Amit Shah and Ram Mohan Naidu.
The latest FDTL norms, which entail increased weekly rest periods to 48 hours, extension of night hours, and limiting the number of night landings to only two as against six earlier were
initially opposed by the domestic airlines, including IndiGo and Tata Group-owned Air India.
In the statement, IndiGo said its teams are working around the clock to ease customer discomfort and ensure operations stabilise as quickly as possible.
“Furthermore, the affected customers are being offered alternative travel arrangements to reach their destinations or refunds, as applicable”.