A Bengaluru woman, Namita, found herself stranded at Kempegowda International Airport with her father’s ashes as IndiGo canceled hundreds of flights across India on Friday, disrupting travel plans for thousands.
The chaos at Bengaluru Airport was severe: 52 incoming and 50 outgoing flights were canceled, leaving passengers waiting overnight with unclear communication. Similar disruptions occurred across the country, including 225 cancellations in Delhi, 104 in Mumbai, 92 in Hyderabad, and 102 in Bengaluru marking one of IndiGo’s largest operational crises in its 20-year history. IndiGo blamed the disruption on a shortage of pilots and crew struggling to meet duty-time limits. Passengers like Namita, however, continue to face immense hardship.
“I was meant to land in Delhi and then Dehradun for the ritual tomorrow. But my flight was canceled at the last minute. Alternative tickets cost Rs 60,000 — how can we manage that?”. “We lost our entire money. They say a partial refund will be given in a week, but no one knows how much. I am asking the government to help me reach Haridwar. My father’s last rites cannot be delayed,” she said.
