IndiGo Airlines continues to face operational challenges, highlighted by the cancellation of 61 flights from Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport on Wednesday. This situation persists despite CEO Pieter Elbers’ assurances of stability.
Despite IndiGo’s top leadership insisting that its operations have stabilised, passengers at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport saw yet another wave of cancellations on Wednesday, a reminder that the crisis is far from over for the airline. Confusion, last-minute schedule changes and long queues have once again become the norm, leaving thousands unsure about their travel plans.
IndiGo cancelled 61 flights from Bengaluru on Wednesday, including 35 arrivals and 26 departures, according to airport sources. This came less than 24 hours after CEO Pieter Elbers told reporters on 9 December that IndiGo was “back on its feet” and that operations were “stable.”
However, a fresh wave of cancellations followed the government’s decision to slash IndiGo’s winter schedule by 10%, roughly 220 flights per day. This came after the airline struggled to comply with tighter safety regulations, leading to thousands of cancellations since 1 December.
On Tuesday alone, IndiGo cancelled 460 flights from six metros, prompting the Civil Aviation Ministry and DGCA to step in firmly. Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu said, “The Ministry considers it necessary to curtail the overall Indigo routes, which will help in stabilising the airline’s operations and lead to reduced cancellations. A curtailment of 10 per cent has been ordered.”
IndiGo has been asked to continue serving all destinations but with fewer frequencies.Elbers said lakhs of customers have received full refunds, but he did not share numbers or comment on compensation for those whose flights were cancelled, rescheduled without consent, or severely delayed.
As per the Civil Aviation Ministry’s passenger charter, airlines must automatically compensate travellers under certain conditions. Passengers do not need to raise requests,, a rule many say airlines do not follow consistently.IndiGo’s troubles began when it allegedly failed to plan for new safety norms, causing widespread disruptions across the country.
The DGCA has already issued show-cause notices to CEO Pieter Elbers and COO Isidro Proqueras, questioning their preparedness and operational handling.
While the government-mandated schedule cut aims to stabilise IndiGo’s operations, it may take some days for the full network to settle.
Passengers flying from Bengaluru this week should be ready for Rebookings on different timings or routings Possible last-minute cancellation Longer airport wait time Higher airfares on alternate airlines
https://www.timesnownews.com/bengaluru/indigo-flight-cancellation-bengaluru-airport-update-are-indigo-flights-still-being-cancelled-article-153275189