CPI General Secretary D Raja criticised IndiGo's mass flight cancellations, blaming airline monopoly for stranding passengers. With over 100 flights cancelled nationwide, the Civil Aviation Ministry has ordered IndiGo to issue immediate refunds.
CPI Leader Blames Monopoly for Crisis
Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary D Raja on Saturday criticised the IndiGo flight cancellations that left thousands of passengers stranded nationwide, and said that the situation shows how allowing one company to dominate the airline sector creates problems for travellers. He said the government must take responsibility as ticket prices keep rising and passengers struggle to cope. Speaking to ANI, Raja said, "This should be a lesson for the government and the people that if you allow monopoly companies to emerge, this is what we experience... The price of airline tickets are increasing, how will passengers face this situation? Government should own the responsibility for such a crisis in the country..."
Hundreds of Flights Cancelled Nationwide
IndiGo operations across India remained severely disrupted even on Saturday, with more than 100 flights cancelled, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at airports in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Guwahati, and other cities.
According to airport data accessed today, several major hubs reported significant cancellations by IndiGo. Hyderabad Airport recorded 69 planned cancellations, including 26 arrivals and 43 departures. At Delhi Airport, operated by GMR, 86 IndiGo flights were cancelled for the day, comprising 37 departures and 49 arrivals. Ahmedabad Airport also reported disruptions, with 35 departures and 24 arrivals listed under planned cancellations.
At Kolkata Airport, 73 arrivals and 102 departures were scheduled for the day, of which 21 arrivals and 20 departures were cancelled. As of 0900 hrs, the airport recorded 22 departures and 14 arrivals as actual movements.
The ongoing disruption has left thousands of passengers stranded across India, highlighting the operational challenges faced by one of the country's largest airlines. Passengers have urged the airline to provide timely updates and support to minimise inconvenience.
Civil Aviation Ministry Intervenes
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) directed IndiGo Airlines to clear all pending passenger refunds without delay.
According to an official release, the Ministry has mandated that the refund process for all cancelled or disrupted flights must be fully completed by 8:00 PM on December 7 (Sunday).
The Ministry has also instructed airlines not to levy any rescheduling charges for passengers whose travel plans were impacted by cancellations. It emphasised that any delay or non-compliance in processing refunds will invite immediate regulatory action under the Ministry's powers.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
