Jaipur: The flight cancellations by IndiGo Airlines continued on Saturday for the fourth consecutive day in Rajasthan, causing widespread disruption for air travellers across the country, officials said.
On Saturday alone, eight flights were cancelled between morning and afternoon, followed by nine more cancellations later in the day at Jaipur International Airport.
Key routes impacted included Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Pune.
The ongoing cancellations have triggered a sharp rise in airfares.
Tickets to Bengaluru reportedly spiked to Rs 77,000, while Jaipur–Delhi and Jaipur–Mumbai fares increased nearly tenfold, marking one of the steepest fare surges witnessed in recent years.
Seats on other airlines have also become scarce, particularly for Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata-bound passengers.
Meanwhile, booking systems are showing delays of up to 24 hours for upcoming IndiGo flights.
Passengers at Jaipur Airport expressed frustration over inadequate arrangements and lack of communication from airline representatives.
Despite crowding and rising complaints, assistance counters remained largely non-functional, adding to passenger inconvenience.
Operational disruption due to internal roster and scheduling issues at IndiGo is being cited as the primary cause; however, the airline has not issued a formal clarification.
Responding to the travel crisis, the North Western Railway has introduced special trains to ease passenger movement.
Scheduled services include Durgapura–Bandra Terminus (one trip) on December 7–8 and Hisar–Khadki (one trip) on December 7–8.
Delhi Sarai Rohilla–Sabarmati Special Express has been announced on December 6–7 (via Jaipur).
Officials said these trains are expected to provide temporary relief until flight schedules normalise.
While Jaipur remained heavily impacted, operations at Jodhpur Airport improved on Saturday.
No Indigo flights were cancelled there, though flights arriving from Mumbai and Hyderabad faced significant delays — forcing passengers to wait between five to six hours at the terminal.
(IANS)
