IndiGo’s flight cancellations in and out of the city peaked on Friday, similar to trends at airports across the country.
Out of 248 daily IndiGo flights scheduled to arrive at or depart from Calcutta, 171 were cancelled, while 77 faced significant delays, airport officials said. Of the cancelled flights, 83 were scheduled to land in Calcutta and 88 to depart.
The cancellations left thousands of passengers stranded, leading to tense and angry exchanges with airline staff throughout the day and night.
Most travellers alleged there was little to no communication from IndiGo or airport authorities regarding the cancellations. Many were checked in, allowed into the boarding area, and then informed at the last moment that their flights were cancelled.
The sheer number of passengers stranded far exceeded the seating available. Airport authorities arranged over 500 plastic chairs across departure and arrival levels, including security hold areas. Chairs were sourced from conference rooms and administrative spaces, an airport official said. Additional food counters were also opened.
“IndiGo requested retiring rooms for passengers to rest. We allocated several rooms to them,” an official said.
Central industrial security force (CISF) personnel were deployed to prevent scuffles between frustrated passengers and airline staff. In some cases, passengers who had to leave after cancellations were allowed to exit through gates at the departure level, normally used only for entry.
Among the many affected was Rumni Mazumder, who lives in Bengaluru and had travelled to Calcutta to visit family. “She was originally booked to fly out on December 4, but her flight was cancelled. A replacement ticket for December 5, scheduled for 3.15pm, was also cancelled after she collected her boarding pass,” said her brother.
She finally booked an Air India Express ticket for December 8 at ₹26,000.
Attempts to secure a refund prove futile. “She sought a refund from IndiGo but could not get through to customer care executives on the helpline numbers. There was a long queue for refunds at the airport counter,” her brother said.
Amit Kumar Garai, 42, who was travelling with his 65-year-old father, discovered the cancellation only at the boarding gate.
“The airline should have informed passengers in advance. I had a doctor’s appointment for my father in Chennai. But now we won’t be able to travel. We could have arranged alternatives if we were informed earlier. This is harassment,” he said.
Outside the airport’s IndiGo counter, a large crowd demanded clarity on flight status, refunds or alternate arrangements. Passengers complained of “absolutely no communication” from the airline, with some yelling at staff over the lack of proper responses.
Departure boards flashed long lists of delays and cancellations, heightening anxiety among those with urgent commitments, including medical appointments, weddings, job interviews and connecting international flights.
Some passengers broke down in tears, while others moved frantically between airline counters searching for last-minute tickets, only to find limited availability at steep prices.