IndiGo Faces Ongoing Flight Cancellations at Hyderabad Airport
Severe Disruptions at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport
Hyderabad, Dec 8: Passengers at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad are experiencing significant challenges as IndiGo has cancelled 112 flights on Monday.
This marks the seventh consecutive day of service disruptions for the airline. The cancellations today consist of 58 incoming and 54 outgoing flights.
With no indication of a return to normal operations, thousands of travelers are left in distress. For the fifth day in a row, cancellations have exceeded 100, totaling over 600 flights cancelled at RGIA since December 2.
On Sunday, December 7, 126 flights were cancelled, while December 5 saw the highest number of cancellations at 155, followed by 144 on December 6.
Many passengers remain stranded due to these cancellations, leading to frustration and inquiries at the airport.
In response to the situation, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has increased security measures at the airport to prevent any incidents.
The cancellations on major domestic routes have severely impacted travel plans for passengers for the seventh straight day. Key routes affected include Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Visakhapatnam, Goa, Madurai, and Bhubaneswar.
IndiGo announced on Sunday that it had resumed operations at 137 out of its 138 destinations, aiming to operate 1,650 flights for the day, an increase from 1,500 flights on December 6. The airline also reported an improvement in its on-time performance, rising from 30% on December 6 to 75% on December 7.
Additionally, IndiGo has implemented a full waiver for cancellations and rescheduling requests for bookings made until December 15.
The airline has attributed the ongoing crisis to new Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) regulations, which were introduced in two phases in July and November. These regulations increase weekly rest periods to 48 hours, redefine night-duty parameters, and limit night landings to two. These changes were mandated following orders from the Delhi High Court.
In light of the situation, the aviation regulator has granted IndiGo temporary relaxations until February 10.