IndiGo passengers stranded across India: 'Someone please tell my boss not to fire me'

Passengers across India voiced frustration as IndiGo’s operations faced widespread disruptions, leaving travellers without updates or alternatives. Reports say many passengers received no staff support at help desks or boarding gates, as flights were delayed or cancelled for hours.

At Hyderabad Airport, Ashwini, who had flown from Mumbai for a work meeting, said he was shocked to find his rescheduled flight no longer operating.

“I came here for a meeting. I got a boarding pass saying the flight is early… there is no flight available for us. I don’t know what I am going to do because they don’t have any flights until tomorrow,” he told ANI.

Santosh, travelling from Hyderabad to Chennai, said the delay derailed his plans. “This experience is really bad… It has disturbed my entire schedule,” he added, noting he learned of the changes only through news reports.

A video shared by X user Ayush Kuchya captured the chaos at Hyderabad Airport, showing stranded travellers with no updates.

In the clip, a visibly overwhelmed passenger pleaded, “Someone please tell my boss not to fire me,” highlighting the real-world consequences of the delays.

According to India Today, travellers also experienced sudden cancellations and inconsistent updates.

One was told the flight could not take off because “the captain hadn’t arrived,” while an elderly traveller said, “I don’t trust them anymore.” Kuchya also noted that his sick father-in-law was left powerless amid the uncertainty.

Similar scenes unfolded at multiple airports. In Pune, Dr Prashant Pansare reported a total information blackout, saying passengers had to coordinate logistics themselves while the display board falsely showed flights as on time.

Passengers in Ahmedabad described the situation as “frustrating, disappointing and humiliating.” Some urged calm, noting that staff were also struggling to manage “rude travellers.”

At Jammu Airport, flights to Delhi were repeatedly delayed, while Mumbai saw significant mismanagement, including passengers missing connecting flights due to software issues. One Mumbai passenger, Jumman Ali Khan, highlighted a personal tragedy, saying, “We are not even getting a flight… The parents are not able to go.”

IndiGo’s flight disruptions affected both domestic and international routes, including flights to and from the UAE. Dubai Airports’ live flight tracker showed delays of several hours for flights from Delhi, Pune, Hyderabad, Surat and other cities on December 4.

While most cancellations occurred at hubs such as Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai, international operations also experienced delays and rescheduling. The airline advised affected passengers to monitor real-time updates on its website and offered alternate arrangements where possible.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) summoned IndiGo representatives for an urgent meeting following nearly 200 cancellations and multiple delays across major airports. Wednesday alone saw over 100 cancellations affecting Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.

IndiGo, operating about 2,300 flights daily, apologised and cited a combination of minor technology glitches, winter scheduling, bad weather, airspace congestion, and revised crew rostering rules as the causes. The airline said the situation escalated faster than anticipated.

According to Economic Times, DGCA is likely to grant IndiGo a temporary waiver from new pilot rest rules, pending a mitigation plan to stabilise operations. Reports suggest the airline assumed more time would be granted, leading to insufficient hiring and training, leaving pilots stretched thin with frequent reassignments and extended duty hours.

The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA India) raised concerns over the scale of cancellations, questioning airline planning and regulatory oversight.

The Federation of Indian Pilots highlighted structural issues including crew shortages, aircraft induction without adequate staffing, and flawed rostering. Captain CS Randhawa, the federation’s president, said IndiGo’s 2,200 daily flights require far better resource planning. “They did not plan the crews correctly,” he said.

With inputs from IANS, ANI