Hyderabad – Disruptions to IndiGo flights at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) persisted into their fifth consecutive day on Sunday, as the low-cost carrier axed 115 services, comprising 61 departures and 54 arrivals. This latest batch pushes the overall tally of cancellations from December 3 through December 7 to 519, underscoring a prolonged strain on the airline’s operations at one of India’s busiest aviation hubs.
IndiGo has repeatedly assured travelers that the scope of these cancellations would taper off progressively, yet those facing near-term itineraries continue to grapple with uncertainty over whether their scheduled departures will proceed as planned. The ripple effects have amplified frustrations among passengers, from pilgrims to security personnel, all caught in the web of unpredictable scheduling.
The breakdown of affected flights at RGIA reveals the escalating impact:
- December 3: 31 cancellations
- December 4: 74 cancellations
- December 5: 155 cancellations
- December 6: 144 cancellations
- December 7: 115 cancellations
One affected group, a party of nine pilgrims including two children en route to Sabarimala with their sacred Irumudi, voiced acute distress over the potential derailment of their spiritual journey. “We are relying on IndiGo flight 6E950 from Hyderabad to Cochin, departing at 3:55 p.m. today,” implored Vamsi Kancharla. “Any cancellation would upend our pilgrimage and jeopardize our timely arrival for Darshan. We urgently need assurance to complete this vital trip.”
Echoing these sentiments, a member of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) set to travel on December 12 called for greater transparency from the airline. Having secured a booking from Patna to Hyderabad, the personnel highlighted the anxiety of potential last-minute voids. “IndiGo’s leadership must release a forward-looking roster of anticipated cancellations,” the officer stated. “This would empower passengers like myself to pivot to backups and fulfill critical duties without further delay.”
In response to mounting queries, IndiGo released a statement on Saturday, December 6, framing the measures as a deliberate recalibration. “In tackling the network-wide interruptions of late, we proactively grounded a substantial volume of flights and managed just over 700 operations yesterday across 113 destinations,” the carrier explained. “Our core aim was to reset the network infrastructure, IT frameworks, and crew schedules, enabling a fresh start today with expanded capacity and nascent signs of enhanced reliability.”
As the airline works to restore normalcy, the ongoing saga at RGIA serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in India’s aviation ecosystem, where even minor systemic hitches can cascade into widespread traveler hardship. With no immediate end in sight for some, affected individuals are left scanning updates, weighing rebookings, and hoping for smoother skies ahead.
