A wave of travel disruption is impacting passengers travelling between Oman and India, as Indian airline IndiGo cancelled over a thousand flights in recent days. The widespread cancellations, stemming from issues with crew scheduling and new flight duty time regulations, have left many travellers stranded and facing significant financial losses. This IndiGo flight cancellations crisis is particularly affecting those connecting through major Indian cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Hyderabad, causing a ripple effect for international travellers.
The Scale of the IndiGo Flight Cancellations Crisis
The disruption began escalating earlier this week, with 175 flights cancelled on Thursday and 150 on Wednesday. However, the situation reached a peak on Friday, with more than 1,000 IndiGo flight cancellations reported across India. Cancellations continued on Saturday, extending the crisis into its fifth consecutive day. IndiGo, which holds a dominant 60% share of India’s domestic aviation market, operates regular services from Muscat International Airport to key Indian destinations including Mumbai, Cochin, and Hyderabad.
Impact on Oman-India Travellers
The impact is being keenly felt by passengers travelling between Oman and India. Many travellers utilise IndiGo’s domestic network to connect to onward destinations within India after arriving from Muscat. A travel agent based in Ruwi High Street explained that passengers often land in major Indian cities and then use IndiGo to reach their final destinations. Conversely, others connect to international flights after arriving in India from their home countries.
P. Kumar, a traveller scheduled to fly from Patna to Muscat via Hyderabad, experienced the disruption firsthand. Despite checking in for his SalamAir connection, his IndiGo flight was cancelled, resulting in a missed connection and a refused refund. Forced to find an alternative route, Kumar endured a 17-hour train journey from Patna to Delhi before finally boarding an Oman Air flight to Muscat, incurring a loss of approximately INR30,000 (OMR130). His story is just one of many highlighting the significant inconvenience and financial burden faced by affected passengers.
Reasons Behind the Disruptions and Government Response
IndiGo has attributed the mass flight disruptions to the recent implementation of stricter flight duty time limits by India’s aviation regulator. These new regulations, intended to address pilot fatigue and enhance flight safety, have reportedly created significant challenges in crew rostering and scheduling. The airline stated that the new safety norms have severely disrupted their operational capabilities.
In response to the escalating crisis, India’s Civil Aviation Minister, Ram Mohan Naidu, announced on Friday that the new flight duty time limits would be temporarily suspended. He emphasized that this decision was made solely in the interest of passengers, particularly those with urgent travel needs such as senior citizens, students, and patients. The minister expressed confidence that schedules would stabilise and operations would return to normal shortly.
Passengers Report Delays, Missed Connections, and Soaring Prices
Passengers transiting through Indian airports have shared their experiences of long delays, missed connections, and dramatically increased ticket prices. One passenger travelling from Mumbai to Muscat reported a significant delay to their flight, leading to a missed connecting flight and the inability to book alternative travel due to inflated fares. The situation was compounded by the fact that other airlines, including Air India, Air India Express, and SpiceJet, were fully booked for the coming days.
Reports also indicate that IndiGo staff at airports were often unable to provide concrete information regarding rescheduling options, informing passengers that flights were unlikely to be available for at least five days. Frustrated travellers have voiced their anger at airports and taken to social media to express their dissatisfaction with the airline’s handling of the crisis.
IndiGo’s Apology and Path to Recovery
Acknowledging the widespread disruption, IndiGo issued a public apology on social media on Friday. The airline stated, “While this will not get resolved overnight, we assure you that we will do everything in our capacity to help you in the meantime and to bring our operations back to normal at the earliest.” They admitted to facing a “serious operational crisis” and acknowledged the long wait times and lack of information experienced by many customers. The airline’s priority now is to restore air travel reliability and minimise further inconvenience to passengers.
The current situation underscores the fragility of airline operations and the potential for cascading disruptions when faced with unforeseen challenges. The temporary suspension of the new flight duty time limits is a positive step towards restoring normalcy, but the long-term impact of the IndiGo flight cancellations on passenger confidence remains to be seen. Travellers are advised to stay updated on flight schedules and allow ample time for potential delays or cancellations. For those affected, exploring travel insurance options and maintaining open communication with airlines are crucial steps in mitigating potential losses.