‘Months of Hard Work Wasted’: IndiGo Flight Chaos Leaves Smart India Hackathon Students Stranded

IndiGo’s nationwide flight cancellations left thousands stranded, including Smart India Hackathon students who lost months of preparation. Long queues, unclear communication and repeated delays sparked frustration as the government issued directives.

Severe travel disruption unfolded across the country on Saturday as IndiGo continued to struggle with widespread flight delays and cancellations, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and distressed. At Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, long queues, visibly upset travellers, and repeated cancellation announcements created a morning of complete chaos. Many passengers said they had been waiting for hours without any clear communication from the airline, while several complained that they had no alternative way to reach their destinations on time.

The situation worsened even though the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had temporarily paused its new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) order in an effort to stabilise operations. The decision came after several days of extensive disruptions that severely affected IndiGo’s services across the country.

Hackathon Students Lose a Rare Opportunity

Among the most heartbroken travellers were a group of engineering students who were scheduled to fly to Guwahati for the Smart India Hackathon 2025, a competition they had spent months preparing for.

Student Mahrishi Jani said the cancellation had crushed their hopes.

“We were selected from nearly 74,000 entries and only around 1,400 ideas were shortlisted,” he told ANI. 

“Our centre was the North-Eastern Hill University. Our IndiGo flight was first delayed and then cancelled. There is no other way to reach Guwahati on time. If we take a train, it will take us three days. Our hard work of six to seven months has gone to waste.”

He added that the six-member team, along with two mentors, had no feasible alternative after their connecting flight plan fell apart.

International Passengers Also Left Stranded

The chaos did not spare international travellers.

Ikhlaq Hussain, who had flown in from Jeddah and was supposed to take a connecting flight to Lucknow, said: “I have been stuck here for two days. The flight keeps getting delayed.”

Another passenger from Bhubaneswar said she spent three hours at Biju Patnaik International Airport seeking clarity about her flight to Bengaluru.

“My Bengaluru flight on 5 December was important because I had an international flight to Vietnam from there. Even after requesting repeatedly, I was not accommodated on any of their Bengaluru flights. Travelling by road was not an option because the distance takes around 25 to 26 hours. There was no communication and only one staff member who had no answers,” she said.

Disruptions Continue Across the Country

Passengers from several airports, including Jodhpur, also reported major delays and a lack of assistance from IndiGo staff.

A passenger waiting to travel from Jodhpur to Bengaluru said: “No one from IndiGo is giving any answers. We have been standing here since morning. I have to reach Bengaluru urgently by evening. I am very worried.”

Government Issues Emergency Directions to Restore Normalcy

In response to the growing crisis, the Ministry of Civil Aviation issued two directives instructing IndiGo and other airlines to stabilise flight schedules and take immediate steps to support affected passengers.

The Ministry outlined the following expectations:

• Flight schedules should begin stabilising from midnight 

• Full operational stability should return within a couple of days 

• Passengers should be able to track delays from home through airline information systems 

• Automatic full refunds must be issued for cancelled flights 

• Stranded passengers should receive hotel accommodation arranged by the airline 

• Senior citizens must be provided lounge access and special assistance 

• Passengers of delayed flights must receive refreshments and essential facilities 

• A 24x7 control room at the Ministry will continuously monitor the situation

The government reiterated that it is fully aware of the difficulties faced by air passengers and is in constant communication with airlines and regulators. It added that all necessary measures, including temporary exemptions from certain regulations, would be taken to restore normal operations and reduce passenger inconvenience.