IndiGo apologizes as hundreds of flight cancellations cause chaos
What's the story
IndiGo, India's largest airline, canceled as many as 200 flights across several states, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, on Wednesday due to a combination of factors like crew shortages and technical glitches. The disruptions have left thousands of passengers stranded at various airports across the country. Acknowledging the disruptions, the carrier issued an official statement, attributing the delays to "operational challenges," including technology issues, airport congestion and other operational requirements.
Apology issued
IndiGo's apology and reasons for disruptions
The airline said in a statement, "We acknowledge that IndiGo's operations have been significantly disrupted across the network for the past two days, and we sincerely apologize." "A multitude of unforeseen operational challenges, including minor technology glitches, schedule changes linked to the winter season, adverse weather conditions, increased congestion in the aviation system and the implementation of updated crew rostering rules (Flight Duty Time Limitations) had a negative compounding impact on our operations," an IndiGo spokesperson said.
Ongoing efforts
IndiGo's efforts to minimize passenger inconvenience
The airline said that to contain the disruption and restore stability, it has initiated calibrated adjustments to its schedules. These measures, the airline said, will remain in place for the next 48 hours and will allow them to normalize their operations and progressively recover their punctuality across the network. "Furthermore, the affected customers are being offered alternate travel arrangements to reach their destinations or refunds, as applicable," it added.
Performance dip
IndiGo's on-time performance and passenger inconvenience
According to government data, IndiGo's on-time performance dipped to a mere 35% on Tuesday, the lowest among all Indian airlines. This is a stark contrast to its usual over 80% on-time performance at major Indian airports such as Delhi and Mumbai. The airline has offered alternate flight options or refunds to affected customers and requested them to check the latest flight status online before heading to the airport.