Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], December 5 : Amid the ongoing nationwide IndiGo flight delays and cancellations, a passenger at the Biju Patnaik International Airport, Odisha, shared her ordeal, stating that even after spending three hours at the airport, she was not given any clarifications on her flight status. She alleged that the airline does not have any answers or solutions to the ongoing problems, and there is no clarity from their end.
The passenger stated that she had a flight from Bhubaneswar to Bengaluru and then from Bengaluru to Vietnam on December 5. Upon questioning about the flight status, she was not given any specific answer on whether her flight would fly or not. The passenger also noted that there is only one staff member present, who is unable to manage the passenger queries and issues.
"My flight from Bhubaneswar to Bengaluru was scheduled for December 5... I had a flight to Vietnam from Bengaluru. This crisis began on December 3. I reached here yesterday to ask about my flight schedule...I spent three hours here asking them about my flight status, but they said they don't know... Yesterday, they had flights to Bengaluru...I requested them to accommodate me in one of their flights scheduled for Bengaluru so that I could catch my international flight to Vietnam from here... but they did not accommodate even one seat for me... We did not have the option to travel by road because the distance between Bhubaneswar and Bengaluru takes 25-26 hours to cover... No one is listening to anything. There is just one staff member, and they have no answers or solutions... There is no clarity..." she stated.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has directed airlines, especially IndiGo, to implement measures immediately to resolve the severe disruption to flight schedules and stabilise services without delay, an official statement said.
Two orders have been issued to address problems faced by the public and restore service stability, especially on IndiGo.
The order said, "It is expected: All flight schedules would stabilise and begin returning to normal midnight tonight; Full services and stability should return over the next couple of days; Passengers can track delays, if any, from home through information system installed by IndiGo and others; In the event of flight cancellation IndiGo will ensure automatic full refund for tickets."
"If passengers are stranded, they will be put up at hotels where accommodation has been booked by airlines. Special measures have been taken to ensure senior citizens are not discomfited in any manner. They will be provided with lounge access; Passengers of delayed flights will be provided with refreshments and other necessities; A 24x7 control room at the Ministry of Civil Aviation is constantly monitoring the situation on a time basis," the order further read.