Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Dec 5: Chaos and frustration continued to grip air travellers on Friday as IndiGo Airlines faced large-scale operational disruptions, forcing mass cancellations and long delays at both Srinagar and Jammu airports.
According to reports, the day saw scenes of confusion at both airports, with passengers travelling for medical emergencies, weddings, official work and more left stranded for hours without clear communication from the airline.
Officials said that 41 flights were cancelled across J&K, 11 in Jammu and 30 in Kashmir, including 39 of IndiGo and two of other airlines.
At Srinagar International Airport alone, 28 scheduled IndiGo flights were cancelled, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded for hours. The remaining flights operated with minor delays.
“We have been receiving repeated calls regarding IndiGo operations. Over 30 flights scheduled for today have been cancelled, of which 28 were IndiGo and two of other airlines,” an official from Srinagar airport said.
Rafiq Ahmad, a passenger at Srinagar airport who was scheduled to fly to Delhi, said he had been waiting since early morning with no clear update. “First they said the flight is delayed, then cancelled. There’s no proper announcement or assistance people are just sitting helplessly,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jammu airport also witnessed chaotic scenes, with long queues at refund counters and no clarity on rescheduling. “We were told to wait for hours without any confirmation. Some passengers have been promised refunds, others are still unsure,” said a stranded passenger.
Officials at Jammu airport confirmed that 11 IndiGo flights were cancelled, while operations of other carriers remained largely unaffected.
According to reports the disruptions have originated from IndiGo’s internal compliance measures following new DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) safety directives, compounded by crew shortages, which have caused widespread operational turbulence nationwide, including in Jammu and Kashmir.
Officials at both Srinagar and Jammu airports said that other airlines operated as per schedule, with minimal impact reported.
