Airports return to normalcy after IndiGo flight disruptions

Normalcy is restored at airports across the country and all necessary facilities are being provided to passengers, the Civil Aviation Ministry said on Saturday. Amid massive disruptions in flight operations due to crew shortage, IndiGo cancelled hundreds of flights, including 1,600 on Friday and over 800 on Saturday, since the crisis started earlier this week, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at airports across the country. IndiGo operates 2,300 flights across the country in a day. "Normalcy is restored at airports across the country and all necessary facilities are provided to passengers. Check-in and check-out are happening smoothly," the ministry said in a statement. Meanwhile, Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) said it has made arrangements to accommodate 25 grounded IndiGo aircraft at its facility. In a statement, MIAL further said it has implemented a range of initiatives to support passengers stranded at the terminal due to flight cancellations and operational disruptions. These measures have been implemented to enhance passenger comfort, provide clear information and ensure seamless logistics management during these challenging circumstances, MIAL said.

According to MIAL, additional chairs have been placed at multiple locations across both terminals (T1 and T2) to ensure passengers have ample seating while waiting while complimentary refreshments are being served to stranded passengers to help ease their wait. Besides this, additional duty terminal managers and customer service executives have been deployed at both terminals to facilitate passenger movement and cater to their needs, MIAL said. It also said that airport concessionaires/outlets have been instructed to maintain sufficient supplies of food and beverages for passenger convenience. The airport is also actively monitoring product pricing to ensure fairness. Special gates have been set up to expedite the exit process for passengers affected by flight cancellations, the private airport operator said, adding that airport terminal operations, airline representatives, and CISF personnel are stationed at these gates to expedite the process. Moreover, the terminal help desk is being manned round the clock, offering clear and timely information to passengers in need of support, it said. A dedicated taskforce has been established by the airport comprising terminal operations (T1 & T2), airport baggage operations, MIAL security, CISF, and IndiGo airline staff, that is focused on retrieving checked-in baggage from cancelled flights and ensure prompt processing to reduce inconvenience to passengers, the private airport operator said.

It also said due to the uncertainty surrounding flight connections, frequent rescheduling and limited information, operational challenges such as stand availability and scheduling management have arisen. However, the airport team is actively working to obtain clearer updates and manage airside operations effectively. MIAL also said despite space constraints at Mumbai Airport, special parking arrangements have been made to accommodate about 25 grounded IndiGo aircraft, while additional traffic marshals have been deployed by the airport to ensure smooth passenger movement at the multi-level car parking and while exiting the terminals.