Guwahati's Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport witnessed significant disruption on Thursday as a series of technical and operational problems forced the cancellation of seven IndiGo flights and delayed several others. Hundreds of passengers were left stranded and frustrated, with some enduring waits of up to twelve hours within the airport terminal.
Widespread Disruption and Passenger Anguish
The airline confirmed the cancellations, attributing them to a combination of "unforeseen operational challenges." In an official statement, IndiGo cited a range of factors including minor technology glitches, schedule changes linked to the winter season, adverse weather, increased aviation system congestion, and the implementation of updated crew rostering rules. The cumulative effect severely impacted their network operations from the Guwahati hub.
The cancelled flights were bound for major Indian cities: Chennai, Aizawl, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata. Passengers expressed deep frustration, with many stating they were forced to leave the airport lounge after having already received their boarding passes in the morning. One passenger bound for Aizawl recounted, "First, they delayed and then cancelled it, telling us there are no flights available for the next two days. We have been stuck in the airport for the last 12 hours."
Delays Compound the Crisis
Beyond the cancellations, the ripple effect caused significant delays for at least five other IndiGo flights. Services to Jaipur, Dibrugarh, Imphal, Delhi, and Kolkata were all running behind schedule. The situation prompted the airport authority to issue a warning on its social media handle (X), indicating that more IndiGo flights might face delays on Friday due to the persisting operational issues.
Passengers also complained about inadequate support from the airline during the extended wait. "IndiGo said they will refund the ticket fare, but they have not provided us with food or accommodation," added the Aizawl-bound passenger. Another affected traveler mentioned that his flight was scheduled for a 10:30 AM departure, but he received a cancellation message around 10 AM, after his boarding pass had already been issued.
Airline's Response and Recovery Plan
In response to the cascading disruption, IndiGo announced it had initiated "calibrated adjustments" to its schedules to contain the problem and restore stability. The airline stated, "These measures will remain in place for the next 48 hours and will allow us to normalise our operations and progressively recover our punctuality across the network."
The incident highlights the vulnerability of air travel to interconnected operational and technical failures, especially during the busy winter travel period. For passengers at Guwahati airport, the day turned into a long ordeal of uncertainty and inconvenience, with many left scrambling for alternative arrangements as the airline worked to reset its operations.
