IndiGo: Indian flight passengers were disappointed yet again, facing the brunt of airline chaos, due to massive flight cancellations and delays. The current crisis, which was largely triggered by a shortage of pilots and new crew rest rules, left many wondering whether passengers in India are treated as golden hens or guinea pigs by IndiGo and other airlines.
Stranded Passengers and Airline Turmoil
For several days, IndiGo (India’s largest airline), has been cancelling hundreds of flights across the country, affecting major airports such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. Passengers were forced to wait for hours, with visible scenes of anger and frustration playing out in flight terminals. Social media posts and videos showed elderly travellers, families, and even those carrying urns for last rites stranded without clear information or support.
Are Passengers Guinea Pigs or Golden Hens for IndiGo?
Many airlines in India have been treating the country’s passengers as test subjects for airline operational changes. This means that these passengers have to face the consequences of untested policies such as new crew scheduling options, without adequate planning and safeguards. For some airlines, passengers are a steady source of revenue and their pain doesn’t mean much for them. All in all, while airlines rely on passengers for business and revenue, the experience felt by passengers during disruptions often lacks timely support, transparency, and empathy.
What Can Passengers Expect Now?
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has now stepped in, directing airlines to provide full cancellation refunds and restore normalcy. Airlines have also been asked to provide hotel accommodations for stranded travellers while also offering priority support for families and senior citizens. IndiGo has remarked that normalcy is expected back by December 8, and all tickets during the period of December 5 to 15 will be fully refunded.
