New Delhi [India], December 4 : Flight operations at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport were severely disrupted on Thursday as IndiGo cancelled a total of 150 flights, including 75 departures and 75 arrivals, spanning both domestic and international routes since morning, confirmed Delhi Airport.
Earlier today, passengers across multiple airports on Thursday voiced strong frustration as IndiGo's nationwide operations remained severely disrupted, leaving many stranded without clear communication or alternate travel options.
At Hyderabad Airport, several travellers expressed their frustration. Ashwini, a passenger from Mumbai who had flown to Hyderabad for a work meeting, said he was shocked to discover that the flight he had been rescheduled to board was no longer operating.
"I came here for a meeting. I am supposed to go back today. I got a boarding pass saying the flight is early. When I came here, I was not allowed to go inside. They are straightaway telling us this has been going on for the last three to four days, and we can't do anything. There is no flight available for us. I have asked them to cancel. I don't know what I am going to do because they don't have any flights until tomorrow," Ashwini said to ANI.
Another traveller, Santosh, a Hyderabad resident who needed to reach Chennai for a crucial meeting, described how the sudden delay derailed his plans.
"I have to reach Chennai by morning at 11 tomorrow. My flight has been delayed... I am a frequent flier of IndiGo. This experience is really bad. It has disturbed my entire schedule. I have meetings lined up in Chennai. There has been no call or communication from IndiGo. I am checking the flight frequently and following news channels. Only then did I get to know that the flight had been delayed," Santosh said to ANI.
Amid widespread flight disruptions, the Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) reiterated concerns over the ongoing nationwide disruptions, calling for tighter regulatory oversight.
In a statement, ALPA India said, "The situation concerning the recent flight cancellations across India, allegedly attributed to pilot shortage due to new Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) norms, raises significant questions about the airline's management, regulatory oversight by the DGCA, and market fairness."
Further highlighting issues of planning and compliance, the pilots' body added, "The core question is whether airlines' current pilot shortage is due to a failure in planning or a calculated strategy. It is more likely a combination of factors... This situation points to a failure of proactive resource planning by dominant airlines, potentially exacerbated by an effort to pressurise the regulator to dilute the promulgated FDTL norms for commercial gain."