Ranchi, Dec 6: Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Airport has also witnessed major disruption as IndiGo’s ongoing operational crisis led to mass flight cancellations, long delays and a sudden spike in airfare across major routes.
Passengers were left stranded for hours, with many expressing anger over poor communication from the airline on Friday.
Out of 18 scheduled IndiGo flights from Ranchi on Friday, 12 were cancelled and the remaining were heavily delayed, creating long queues at airline counters from early morning. Many passengers rushed to seek refunds and alternative bookings as news of cancellations spread through the airport.
A travel agent Krishna Kumar from Star Tours and Travels said that IndiGo’s crisis has directly pushed up ticket prices of other airlines. Fares that usually range between Rs 8,000 and 10,000 have surged to Rs 25,000–30,000. As per him, fares on routes to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Pune have more than doubled, and seats are filling rapidly. Except Air India, most airlines are witnessing sharp fare hikes due to the sudden rush.
One passenger, whose Delhi flight was cancelled, said he was travelling due to an emergency. “I suddenly came to know my flight was cancelled. I have to reach Delhi anyhow, but now tickets are so expensive that it’s difficult to afford them. The fares have not just doubled—they’re four times the normal rate. We’re not getting any clear information from IndiGo either,” he said.
With repeated cancellations, passenger frustration continues to grow. Many accused IndiGo of poor management and lack of proper updates. Airport officials are trying to keep passengers informed, but the situation remains tense.
On Friday, only four IndiGo flights operated from Ranchi, one each to Delhi and Bhubaneswar, and two to Kolkata.
Meanwhile, the airport management has indicated that operations are expected to return to normal only by Monday, though IndiGo has not issued any clear statement on when the crisis will be fully resolved.
