Chaos, long queues and protests were witnessed at the Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow on Thursday after IndiGo cancelled 12 flights, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded for hours.
The airline cited a sudden crew shortage as the reason for the cancellations. The situation has arisen nationwide with the carrier struggling to adapt to stringent new crew rostering rules.
Airport sources said the affected flights included key domestic routes to Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune and Ahmedabad.
An incoming Dubai flight was also cancelled, inconveniencing families waiting at the arrival gate and disrupting onward travel plans for those on board.
Demanding their money back, angry passengers raised slogans and entered into a heated exchange of words with the airline’s staff.
Many passengers said they were not informed in advance and only learned of the cancellations after arriving at the airport.
A traveller heading for Delhi said he waited for hours before being told his flight was cancelled, forcing him to call off his meeting and travel plans.
Passengers repeatedly approached airline counters for updates, but complained of delayed or inconsistent information. Long queues formed as travellers tried to rebook on later flights, though limited seat availability made the process difficult.
{{/usCountry}}Passengers repeatedly approached airline counters for updates, but complained of delayed or inconsistent information. Long queues formed as travellers tried to rebook on later flights, though limited seat availability made the process difficult.
{{/usCountry}}Airport officials in Lucknow said they are working with IndiGo to manage the crowds and assist passengers but warned that delays could persist until the airline stabilises its crew schedules.
Meanwhile, many stranded travellers have called for compensation, better communication and timely updates from the airline.