Indigo Flight Cancellations: Crisis Continues in Jaipur, Fares Surge Fivefold, Passengers Forced to Travel by Trains, buses

The situation at Jaipur Airport worsened due to the IndiGo crisis. Thousands of passengers are stranded due to continuous flight cancellations and delays. Meanwhile, fares on many routes have increased four to five times. Trains and buses are also fully booked. On Monday, 11 IndiGo flights were cancelled and many operated with several hours of delay.

Jaipur: The crisis at the country's largest airline, IndiGo, and soaring airfares have doubled the troubles for passengers. Thousands of people are stranded due to frequent flight cancellations and rescheduling at Jaipur International Airport, while government claims of relief in airfares are proving to be hollow.

Tickets from Goa to Pune are being sold for ₹20,000 to ₹24,000. Moreover, the hassle of connecting flights is burdening passengers with both time and money. Despite the railways running special trains, the situation is 'no-room'. Fares for private buses and taxis have doubled or tripled.

Following the continuous flight cancellations by IndiGo airline, a large number of passengers are now opting for trains. This has led to a sudden surge in passenger load on trains. As a result, trains from Jaipur to many cities including Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and Pune are fully booked.

Most trains are experiencing long waiting lists, from sleeper to AC coaches, while many are in a 'no-room' status. Meanwhile, despite government strictness, passengers have not received complete relief in airfares from IndiGo and other companies. Excess fares are being charged from passengers on many routes.

Situation of trains departing from Jaipur on Monday

- No bookings were available in any class on the Aravali Express, Jaipur-Mumbai Superfast, and Jaipur-Bandra Terminus trains from Jaipur to Mumbai. All were in a 'no-room' status.
- The situation was similar for the Galtadham Superfast, Yoga Express, Ashram Express, and Mandore Express going to Delhi. Limited bookings were available in the sleeper class of the Sainik Express, with long waiting lists.
- 'No-regret' status was shown for the Mysore Express going to Hyderabad.
- For Chennai, the Jaipur-Coimbatore Express, for Ahmedabad, the Jaipur-Asarwa Superfast, Porbandar Express, Ashram Express, and Yoga Express were also in a 'no-room' status.
- On trains running from Jaipur to Surat, the Jaipur-Mumbai Superfast, and on many other routes, seats were unavailable not only in sleeper and AC coaches but also in the Tatkal quota.

Fare from Mumbai-Goa exceeds ₹20,000

- Airlines continued their arbitrary pricing on Monday. Tickets for Air India Express from Jaipur to Goa were booked for up to ₹24,000, and for SpiceJet, up to ₹18,000. For Pune, Air India Express charged up to ₹20,259.
- The fare for Air India flights to Hyderabad ranged from ₹17,000 to ₹28,000.
- For Mumbai, Air India Express charged up to ₹14,000, and SpiceJet charged up to ₹24,000.
- On the Delhi route, Air India charged ₹4,100, and Air India Express charged up to ₹4,472. Overall, on many routes, airfares are still 4 to 5 times more expensive than normal days.
- Additionally, many airlines are only offering travel via connecting flights, which not only adds to the financial burden on passengers but also doubles the travel time.

The clouds of crisis continued to loom over IndiGo, the country's largest airline grappling with operational difficulties, on Monday. Eleven flights to and from Jaipur International Airport were cancelled, and two dozen flights operated with hours of delay. Hundreds of passengers faced long waits at the airport. Those who had arrived for studies, exams, jobs, weddings, business, and medical treatments were distressed.

The most significant difficulties were faced by passengers whose flights were cancelled at the last minute and those travelling on connecting flights. Many passengers had to resort to trains, buses, or cabs. Several passengers also accused the airline of not providing timely information. Airline staff stated that the situation is arising due to a shortage of crew members and technical staff. According to airport management, relief is expected within three to four days.
Now, there is also a concern: Flights may be suspended.

Sources associated with the airline claim that IndiGo, struggling with a shortage of crew members, might suspend flight operations on smaller routes from Jaipur. Furthermore, there is a possibility of reducing the number of flights on major routes like Delhi and Mumbai. Operations on some routes, including Jaisalmer and Jodhpur, might also be suspended from next month. In such a scenario, the problems are bound to increase.

Government claims refund; passengers say they are being made to run around

IndiGo's refund policy is also exacerbating passengers' difficulties. Passengers reported that at IndiGo's counters at the airport, they are being told that online refunds will be processed within six to seven days. Many passengers had arranged funds to purchase tickets, and now, without receiving refunds, they lack the money to book alternative tickets. The government's claims regarding refunds are proving to be futile against IndiGo. Airline staff are making them run around by giving various excuses, while they desperately need immediate relief.

Fewer flight cancellations compared to other days

According to airport management, some relief was felt on Monday compared to other days. This is because only 11 IndiGo flights were cancelled, whereas on other days, this figure ranged between 28 and 45. If this trend continues, the situation is expected to normalise in three to four days. Priority is being given to sending already stranded passengers to their destinations rather than booking new tickets at the counters.

Number of IndiGo flights cancelled

- On December 4, 10 flights were cancelled.
- On December 5, 45 flights were cancelled.
- On December 6, 28 flights were cancelled.
- On December 7, 28 flights were cancelled.