Saturday witnessed fewer cancellations and delays of IndiGo flights than Friday, but there was no let-up in the passengers’ troubles.

Bags still went or remained missing, refunds were delayed and many were stranded midway in their journeys. Some passengers alleged they did not receive a full refund.

Calcutta saw the cancellation of 53 of the 129 IndiGo flights scheduled between Friday midnight and Saturday 9pm, officials said. On Friday, 171 IndiGo flights to and from the city were cancelled.

All the IndiGo planes that flew on Saturday were delayed, several of them by hours.

Many passengers who arrived in Calcutta over the past few days are yet to receive their luggage. Many among those escorted to the basement of the terminal building, where unclaimed and lost luggage is stored, could not find their bags, airport officials said.

IndiGo sources said some flights were cancelled after many passengers had checked in. So, technically, the checking had to be “undone” and the airport authorities had to give a technical clearance before the refund claims could be processed.

Sources said the airline was taking pilots to their bases from where they could start operating flights from Sunday. The airline operated a ferry flight from Delhi to Mumbai to bring pilots back to the capital.

Some sources said many of these pilots were fit to fly and could have been used for flight operations on Saturday itself.

“Several pilots were taken as passengers from one city to another. A Chennai-bound flight from Calcutta had around 10 such pilots, going to their bases. They could have been used to operate flights that were cancelled for the want of pilots,” a source said.

Tour operators said many of the stranded air passengers were resorting to other modes of transport to reach their destinations.

“We have Calcutta-bound air passengers stuck in several cities. Many are hiring cars, paying high amounts to reach home from other cities,” said Anjani Dhanuka, chairperson of the Travel Agents Association of India, eastern region.

Moses, 26, who arrived in Calcutta from London via Dubai, said his connecting flight to Aizawl at 2.20pm was cancelled without prior information.

“I came for the check-in and was told my flight had been cancelled. I need to reach Aizawl urgently because of an immediate family meeting. Other airlines either had no seats left or the fares were too high to afford,” he said.

Unfamiliar with Calcutta, Moses booked a hotel in Esplanade for the night.

“The room cost me ₹3,000 and I had to spend another ₹600 for a taxi from the airport. My family has now booked a train ticket for me for Monday,” he said.

Priyana S. Pathak, who was to take the 3.55pm IndiGo flight to Guwahati, said she had reached the airport early, anticipating confusion, only to find her flight had been cancelled.

“I did not receive any message or update about the cancellation. I came here to attend a friend’s wedding, and I have two business meetings on Monday. I had no choice but to book train tickets because I must reach Guwahati by tomorrow,” she said.

Long queues formed in front of IndiGo’s ticket counters as anxious passengers demanded clarity on flight status and missing baggage. Many were seen waiting for hours at the departure gates, with several flights delayed.

Some 10 to 15 CISF personnel were deployed near the IndiGo counter to prevent scuffles between annoyed passengers and airline staff.

Plastic chairs were arranged at the 3C departure area for the stranded travellers as the crowd swelled through the day.

Jimmy Bacha, 67, spent nearly an hour in the queue, trying to confirm the status of his flight to Surat.

“My flight, scheduled for 2.30pm, was cancelled on Friday. I booked another for 4.30pm on Saturday, and that too seems to have been cancelled,” he said.

“I paid ₹34,000 for the two tickets. They should confirm the status before taking bookings. I’m still waiting to find out whether my flight has indeed been cancelled.”

Juhi Neogi, travelling to Mangalore via Bengaluru, said she had received multiple updates from IndiGo on her flight.

“I got a message on Friday saying my flight had been cancelled. On Saturday morning, I got another message saying the flight was available for check-in,” Neogi, a gynaecologist at a private hospital in Mangalore, said.

“I later received another message saying it was delayed. When I rushed to the airport, I found out that my connecting flight to Mangalore had been cancelled.”

Neogi was offered a refund within seven days or the option to rebook.

“Air India was showing ₹40,000 for a ticket to Mangalore, which I cannot afford. I had to book a flight for Monday, but I’m not sure whether that will operate. I have important paperwork to finish at my medical college,” Neogi said.

Through the day, passengers were seen scattered across the terminal — seated on plastic chairs, standing in long queues, or making frantic calls to family and travel agents.