What’s inside:
Indigo Airlines faced a major crisis leading to the cancellation of many flights, affecting thousands of passengers.
Indigo Airlines, which is the largest airline in India, had a tough time recently. On Friday, they had to cancel 25 flights in Bihar over 36 hours because they didn’t have enough crew members and had to follow new rules from the DGCA. This situation left around 3,000 passengers stranded at the airport.
Most of the cancellations happened at Patna airport, where out of 29 flights, 25 were called off. Besides Patna, flights from other cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru were also affected. Only a few flights managed to operate, making it a frustrating situation for many travelers.
Passengers at Patna, Gaya, and Darbhanga airports faced long waits, often sitting for 12 hours or more. Some had to spend the night on stairs and chairs as there was little information from the airline. One traveler, who needed to reach Kuwait for work, was told by airline staff that tickets were unavailable for the next three days.
With Indigo facing issues, other airlines took advantage of the situation. Ticket prices skyrocketed, with fares increasing two to three times higher than usual. This surge in prices hit passengers hard, especially during the busy wedding season and holidays like Christmas and New Year.
For instance, ticket prices from Patna to Delhi soared up to ₹40,000 and from Patna to Mumbai up to ₹90,000. Similar hikes were seen for other routes as well. Passengers are now looking for alternatives, but many remain uncertain about when they can travel.
Summary:
- Indigo Airlines cancelled 25 flights in Bihar due to crew shortages.
- About 3,000 passengers were left stranded at various airports.
- Passengers faced long waits with little information from the airline.
- Other airlines raised ticket prices significantly due to increased demand.
- High fares have affected travel plans, especially during the holiday season.
