- Agartala, Ahmedabad, and multiple airports face ripple effects as India’s largest airline stabilises operations
- Airports step up passenger support; competing carriers maintain normal schedules
NE BUSINESS BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, AGARTALA, DEC 9
Ahmedabad reports 33 IndiGo cancellations; passenger handling smooth
The operational disruption at IndiGo, India’s largest airline by market share, continued to echo across airports nationwide on Tuesday, December 9, with Ahmedabad recording one of the largest one-day cancellation clusters.
According to the Adani Airports spokesperson, Ahmedabad Airport reported:
- 33 total cancellations (18 arrivals | 15 departures)
- 85 flights operated till 1800 hrs (38 arrivals | 47 departures)
- No terminal or airside issues reported
- Passenger facilitation teams deployed throughout the day
Airport authorities confirmed that despite the high cancellation load, crowd management, refund assistance and rebooking support were “smooth and fully under control”.
Agartala Hit with Five Cancellations as Disruption Extends to Eighth Day
The crisis extended into an eighth consecutive day for IndiGo, with Agartala’s MBB Airport also reporting cancellations.
Airport Director KM Nehra said, “IndiGo cancelled five flights from Agartala today. The remaining six flights are being operated as per schedule.”
He added that competing carriers Air India Express and Akasa Air operated all scheduled flights without disruptions.
The MBB Airport—the second-busiest in the Northeast—handles about 15 flights and 3,000 passengers daily, making the cancellations a significant operational impact for the region.
Nationwide Pattern: Select Cancellations, High Load on Airport Assistance Teams
While IndiGo operates over 2,200 daily flights across 90+ domestic and 40+ international destinations, the past week has seen waves of cancellations at multiple stations, including:
- Ahmedabad
- Agartala
- Delhi
- Mumbai
- Bengaluru
- Hyderabad
- Kolkata
- Chennai
- Guwahati
Airport sources note a mixed pattern—some hubs face large-scale cancellations, while others see limited disruption as the airline gradually restores its adjusted network.
Airports Strengthen On-Ground Response
Across major airports, passenger welfare protocols have been intensified:
- Queue management teams
- “No-questions-asked” refund desks
- Rebooking kiosks
- Additional wheelchair and assistance staff
- Public address announcements at higher frequency
- Increased helpdesk manpower
Several airports reported that IndiGo station teams have been present in full strength, coordinating closely with airport operations to assist stranded travelers.
Normalisation Underway But Backlogs Persist
IndiGo has publicly stated that:
- All destinations on its network are now operational
- On-time performance has “significantly stabilised”
- Refunds have been processed for “lakhs of customers”
- Baggage backlog clearance is in its final stages
However, pockets of cancellations such as those seen in Ahmedabad and Agartala indicate that the network is still adjusting and intermittent disruptions may continue.
Airports have advised passengers to:
- Check flight status before arriving
- Arrive early due to longer-than-usual helpdesk queues
- Monitor IndiGo website/app for rolling updates
As India’s busiest airline recalibrates its schedule and resources, airports nationwide continue to work on reinforced passenger-care mode.
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