IndiGo crisis grounds flights, AASU slams ‘airfare loot’, seeks PM, DGCA action
Flight disruptions continue to strand passengers and soaring airfares draw sharp criticism from AASU chief adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya.
A file image of Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport
Guwahati, Dec 7: Even as authorities battle security challenges at the airport, flight disruptions continued for the second consecutive day at LGBI Airport due to the ongoing IndiGo crisis, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded and frustrated.
Although airport officials claimed that the situation had improved slightly, 19 departing flights and 21 arriving flights were cancelled on Friday, most of them operated by IndiGo. Around a dozen additional flights were delayed. Thursday witnessed an even worse situation, and there is still no clarity on when operations will fully normalise.
Lack of timely communication from airlines further compounded passenger woes. Many travelers reached the airport only to learn about cancellations at the last minute.
In one of the most distressing cases, a woman from Shillong was left stranded with her husband’s coffin, which she was transporting to Kolkata for last rites.
“I travelled from Shillong in the morning after my husband passed away. The body has been embalmed for 48 hours. I cannot take the coffin back, but there is still no confirmation if our IndiGo flight will take off or get cancelled,” she told reporters, fighting back tears.
Reacting strongly to the unfolding travel crisis, All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) chief adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya termed the steep rise in airfares from Guwahati to metro cities as a case of “deliberate and blatant neglect” of Northeast passengers.
Bhattacharya pointed out that economy-class airfares on key routes have skyrocketed to between Rs 25,000 and Rs 48,000, even on normal travel days.
He alleged that the IndiGo disruptions and lack of alternative airline options have left passengers with no choice but to pay exorbitant prices. He also said that airline accountability has collapsed, with frequent cancellations, last-minute changes and stranded passengers becoming routine.
Calling the situation “totally unacceptable”, Bhattacharya demanded immediate intervention by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Civil Aviation to enforce fair pricing and restore reliability in air travel.
He also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to step in urgently, citing the hardships faced by lakhs of passengers travelling to and from the Northeast.