BENGALURU, Dec 3: Passengers had a harrowing time at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Wednesday as Indigo cancelled multiple flights.
Sources said the airline cancelled 42 flights, both scheduled arrivals and departures, from and to the Bengaluru airport, with the airlines saying that the disruptions were due to a combinations of reasons including technical glitches, adverse weather conditions and updated crew rostering rules.
While some passengers were lucky to get a flight to their destination after hours of wait, others were not. They were stuck at the airport.
Passengers based out in Bengaluru went home while others had to wait at the airport.
According to sources, the scene at the airport was no different from a Railway platform, people sat wherever they found place as they were clueless about their .
Travel agent Sudhir Pokarna said there were no arrangements for food and water for the passengers, whose flights were cancelled.
“My passengers are frantically calling me to know how this happened. I am in a dilemma. I don’t know how to answer my clients now,” Pokarna, who runs Pragathi Communication & Travel Connect, told PTI.
He added that many passengers returned home after six to seven hours of wait at the airport. According to sources at least 42 Indigo flights were cancelled in Bengaluru alone.
A source told PTI that IndiGo recorded a total of 42 flight cancellations on Wednesday, which comprised 22 arrivals and 20 departures. When contacted, an Indigo official said the company is facing disruption across the network.
A statement issued by Indigo said, “We acknowledge that IndiGo’s operations have been significantly disrupted across the network for the past two days, and we sincerely apologise to our customers for the inconvenience caused”.
A multitude of unforeseen operational challenges including minor technology glitches, schedule changes linked to the winter season, adverse weather conditions, increased congestion in the aviation system and the implementation of updated crew rostering rules (Flight Duty Time Limitations) had a negative compounding impact on the operations in a way that was not feasible to be anticipated, the statement read.
Indigo said it has initiated calibrated adjustments to its schedules.
“These measures will remain in place for the next 48 hours and will allow us to normalise our operations and progressively recover our punctuality across the network. Our teams are working around the clock to ease customer discomfort and ensure operations stabilize as quickly as possible,” the Airlines said.
The affected customers are being offered alternative travel arrangements to reach their destinations or refunds, as applicable, it added. Indigo has requested its customers to check the latest flight status at https://www.goindigo.in/check-flight-status.html before heading to the airport.
“We deeply regret the inconvenience caused and remain fully committed to minimising disruption and supporting our customers through this period,” Indigo said. (PTI)
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