Flight delays upset New Year mood of vacationers

This, however, seems to be also the time when flight delays hit a high at the airport – as social media across India sees various posts of consumers complaining about hold-ups that see their plans go for a toss.

Is it because of the ‘weather problem’ as is the excuse often given by authorities? Or can something more be done to ensure a more seamless process during the busiest time of the year?

“Our flight from Chennai to Kochi was delayed randomly, and we missed our bus that was going to transport us to the resort we had booked to kick-start our vacation. All our plans had to be rescheduled after that, and we lost a lot of money. Our New Year is effectively ruined now, and we had to compromise on many fronts,” said A Raj, who is still clearly upset with the incident.

IT professional MK Ramguru was also unhappy about his delayed trip from Coimbatore to Mumbai – and that the delay was only informed to passengers 20 minutes prior. “It was too late to change any kind of plans, and I missed meeting my cousins who were leaving to the US.”

However, airport authorities maintain that the only possible cause of delays is due to the weather, and all other issues are always resolved to ensure timings are perfect.

“In fact, we even monitor social media to see if there are any complaints. Flight diversions happen only when the weather is bad – such as inclement rain, fog, etc – so there is no other option. We maintain that we do all we can to make sure flyers enjoy the holiday season as much as possible,” reverts Airport Director in Chennai, G Chandramouli.