Chennai sees 100 IndiGo flights cancelled in a single day

CHENNAI: Chennai faced major travel chaos on Sunday as IndiGo cancelled 100 flights in just one day, marking the sixth consecutive day of widespread disruption.

Passengers with confirmed tickets were left stranded, while fares on other airlines shot up to five times the usual price, adding to their frustration.

The cancellations stem from an ongoing severe staff shortage at IndiGo. After duty-time restrictions were imposed on airline crews, the carrier has been struggling to roster enough pilots and staff to operate its scheduled services.

As a result, flights have been cancelled continuously for the past five days, with more than 2,000 flights grounded nationwide. The impact has hit not only domestic routes but also international services.

At Chennai airport, angry passengers were seen arguing with IndiGo staff over last-minute cancellations and the lack of clear communication. The issue even reached Parliament, prompting the Union government to intervene.

According to the Centre, the situation is expected to stabilise soon. Duty-time restrictions for airline staff have been relaxed temporarily, and flight schedules are likely to start returning to normal within the next 24 hours. The government expects full normalisation within the next three days.

Until then, however, passengers in Chennai continue to bear the brunt of the chaos as IndiGo’s cancellations stretch into a sixth straight day.