Hyderabad saw one of the most severe impacts of Indigo’s mass cancellations of flights, with 84 departures and 71 arrivals cancelled by Friday evening
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NAGARA GOPAL
Author Milan Vohra, scheduled to speak on her new book Heartbreak Unfiltered at the Bengaluru Lit Fest that kicks off on December 6, was distraught as she got stranded in Hyderabad, where she had come for a wedding, due to Indigo’s flight cancellation. She tried to book an alternative airline, but the only tickets available were priced at ₹55,000. Finally, she decided to take a bus – but those with starting points from within the city were sold out, so she had to take a cab to Miyapur Place on the outskirts to catch one to Hebbal in Bengaluru – a journey that would take over 12 hours. “It’s the first outing for my book on which I have put in ten years of research, so I will jump through the hoops to make it,” she said, describing how several other guests at the wedding were struggling to return to their cities.
Similar stories poured in from all across India, where passengers were scrambling to attend important life events as Indigo flight cancellations continued for the third day. The viral tale of a techie couple, who had to attend their own wedding reception in Hubballi virtually from Bhubaneshwar as their flight to Bengaluru was cancelled, summed up the situation as the airline cancelled over 1,000 flights on Friday.
Video Credit: Businessline
Airport Gridlock
Hyderabad saw one of the most severe impacts of Indigo’s mass cancellations of flights, with 84 departures and 71 arrivals cancelled by Friday evening. The airport witnessed chaotic scenes at the Indigo check-in counters as many passengers were not informed about the cancellation. On some flights, baggage was checked in before guests were told about the cancellation and then followed the frenzied rush to get back the bags.
Terminal 1 at Chennai airport resembled a crowded railway station with stranded passengers sitting on baggage, or on the floor and many forming angry clusters around IndiGo counters. A lone IndiGo staffer at one counter was surrounded by passengers demanding updates, but she had little to offer. Display boards, passengers said, were not updated either.
In Mumbai, passengers complained about poor information flow, as they were able to web check in for Friday morning flights as late as 2 a.m. Sawant, a salesman headed to Delhi, said he was initially told that his morning flight had been delayed to the afternoon.“After a few hours, they said it was cancelled,” he said. When he enquired about rescheduling, he was advised to check back in “a couple of days”.
Cost Burden
Many passengers talked about the financial losses incurred and the struggle to get reimbursement, even as they had to shell out astronomical amounts for alternative flights or modes of travel. A stranded passenger in Lucknow said he shelled out ₹44,000 for an alternative flight to Bengaluru via Delhi. Others, who could not afford such sums, were seen trying to find trains or buses.
In Kerala, Ayyappa devotees returning from Sabarimala were left stranded, uncertain about when they would be able to resume their journey.
Published on December 5, 2025