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IndiGo crisis continues: 15 flights cancelled, 25 delayed at Chandigarh airport
Across the country, over 300 domestic and international flights of the airline had to be cancelled due to technical glitches and operational issues. The cancellations from Chandigarh included flights to Chennai, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Goa, Dharamsala, Mumbai, and Pune.
With IndiGo failing to normalise flight operations for the third straight day, at least eight flights of the airline were cancelled while 25 saw delays at the Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Mohali, on Thursday.
Across the country, over 300 domestic and international flights of the airline had to be cancelled due to technical glitches and operational issues. The cancellations from Chandigarh included flights to Chennai, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Goa, Dharamsala, Mumbai, and Pune. Besides, two Air India flights, scheduled from Kullu and Delhi, were also cancelled, taking the total cancellations to 10.
The delayed Indigo departure included the Chandigarh-Mumbai flight, scheduled to depart at 5.20 am that left at 8.05am. A flight to Chennai, which was scheduled for 7.20 am was rescheduled to 3.55pm. Flights to Leh and Ahmedabad, scheduled to depart at 11.45am and 12.05pm, respectively, were yet to depart at 3.30pm. The maximum delayed departure was witnessed in the Chandigarh to Chennai flight, with a delay of as much as nine hours.
IndiGo flights were also arriving behind schedule. The 7.30am flight from Bengaluru landed at 8.54am. The maximum delay in arrival was four hours 22 minutes on the Mumbai to Chandigarh flight.
Besides, four Air India flights also saw delayed departure and arrival on Thursday.
Passengers took to social media to vent their ire as they awaited updates from the airlines.
Ravindra Soni, a passenger, posted on X, “@IndiGo6E my flight from Goa to Chandigarh (6E724) at 6pm, is cancelled by IndiGo airlines. This has been my worst experience. I was put on hold for 30 minutes before the call to IndiGo disconnected. I tried the 6E AI Assistant, but in vain.”
Another harried passenger, Gourav Singh, said, “IndiGo at it again. No announcements, no accountability. Same old airlines never learn.”
Airport authorities enhance arrangements
“Pan India IndiGo flight operations have been affected due to operational requirements, leading to cancellations and delays. The Chandigarh International Airport Limited (CHAIL) has taken multiple passenger-centric measures to minimise inconvenience and ensure smooth facilitation,” said CHAIL CEO Ajay Verma.
“CHIAL management is having regular follow-ups with the airline and maintaining close coordination with CISF and airline staff for efficient crowd handling. Food arrangements are being provided by the airline, while dedicated queue management systems are in place to prevent crowding. To enhance comfort, adequate seating arrangements have been made across passenger areas, and a kids’ play zone is also there for children. Additionally, ‘May I Help You’ teams and DigiBuddies have been deployed to assist passengers. Cleaning manpower has been enhanced to maintain proper hygiene”, he added.
