IndiGo Crisis Grounds 21 Flights Across J&K
Srinagar- Flight disruptions continued for the second straight day at Srinagar and Jammu airports on Saturday as IndiGo’s nationwide operational crisis again led to widespread cancellations and delays across Jammu and Kashmir.
Officials said that Srinagar airport had 64 scheduled flight movements for the day, including 36 operated by IndiGo. Fourteen IndiGo flights (seven arrivals and seven departures) were cancelled while ten others faced delays. Four SpiceJet flights were also cancelled. In total, 18 flights did not operate from Srinagar on Saturday.
At Jammu airport, three IndiGo flights were cancelled, taking the combined cancellations across the Union Territory to 21 for the day. Two flights connecting Jammu with Mumbai and Hyderabad remained suspended.
Passengers continued to face uncertainty and distress. “They were not informing us about the correct status of the flight. We kept waiting for nine hours a day at the airport,” said Rajni Goyal, a relieved passenger whose flight finally operated. Many travellers also complained of skyrocketing airfares as alternatives became limited.
Airport authorities advised passengers to confirm their flight status before travel and arrive well in advance to avoid inconvenience.
The disruptions follow 41 cancellations reported across Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, primarily affecting IndiGo services. The issues have been linked to crew shortages and internal rostering adjustments triggered by recent DGCA safety directives, forcing airlines to recalibrate operations nationwide.
Officials said flight operations are being constantly reviewed and further updates will depend on improvements in airline scheduling and manpower availability. (KNO)
