Over 50 IndiGo flights cancelled from Srinagar, Jammu
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: In view of the ongoing IndiGo flight disruptions, Northern Railways on Friday announced the augmentation of an additional coach in the Jammu-New Delhi Rajdhani Express for the next seven days, beginning tonight, officials said.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Uchit Singhal said the decision comes to facilitate stranded passengers and provide them comfort.
“In the wake of ongoing flight disruptions, Indian Railways has taken an important decision to augment one 3rd AC coach of 72 seats in the Jammu-New Delhi Rajdhani for the next seven days beginning tonight (December 5),” he said.
Stranded passengers can avail of this facility by booking seats in the additional coach, Singhal said.
Meanwhile, chaotic scenes unfolded at the two commercial airports in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday after 16 IndiGo flights from Srinagar and 11 from Jammu were cancelled, prompting protests from hundreds of stranded passengers over the airline’s alleged failure to respond to distress calls.
IndiGo operations continued to witness disruptions nationwide due to pilot-rostering issues faced by the airline.
On Friday, the airline was scheduled to operate 36 flights at the Srinagar airport — 18 inbound and 18 outbound, officials said.
However, owing to rostering issues, the IndiGo cancelled 13 arriving and as many departing flights, they said.
The cancellations led to protests against the airline by passengers who had turned up at the airport, resulting in chaos. “However, the situation was brought under control immediately,” an official said.
A passenger, scheduled to travel to Delhi, said the situation has left people frustrated.
“In their frustration, the passengers were shouting and demanding an explanation for the flight delays and cancellations,” the passenger, who wished not to be named, said.