Travel sites see a surge in queries as IndiGo flight cancellations leaves thousands stranded for a third day

bengaluru airport indigo

With IndiGo cancelling hundreds of flights again on December 4, confused and stranded travellers turned to online travel platforms for updates, triggering a spike in customer queries.

Chaotic and angry scenes were seen at several airports as India’s largest airline cancelled flights for the third straight day as it failed to plan its roster and schedule in accordance with new government regulations aimed at improving safety .

"We are witnessing a rise in queries from affected flyers and we are committed to provide assistance on booking options, refund status, and alternate travel arrangements," Bharatt Malik, senior VP- air and hotel business, Yatra Online, told Moneycontrol.

They are working closely with the airline to assist customers in keep with the guidelines, Malik said.

An EaseMyTrip spokesperson said to manage the surge in queries, the company strengthened its 24/7 customer support helpdesk, enabling travellers to receive timely assistance, clear guidance, and real-time updates.

"Our priority is to minimise inconvenience, offer transparent communication, and ensure every customer is taken care of with the highest level of service," the spokesperson said.

Malik said that they were communicating updates across multiple channels to ensure that travellers get timely and accurate information.

Travel technology platform ixigo is also alerting passengers about delays and cancellations to help them plan their trips better and also initiate refunds, if needed.

"Given we use artificial intelligence (AI) voice-agents and AI chatbots for helping out most of our customer support, we are coping fairly well with the load and in dealing with this and informing the customers on the recourse (a Plan B or refund)," an ixigo spokesperson.

Passengers can contact travel platforms but refunds for cancelled flights can only be initiated by the airline. Earlier, the airline apologised for the delay and cancellations.

Another day of chaos

Bengaluru reported 73 cancellations, Hyderabad around 58 over a 24-hour window, combining earlier disruptions with 18 cancellations slated for December 4.

Mumbai logged 33 cancellations (17 departures and 16 arrivals). According to airport authorities, the tally of IndiGo cancellations at Delhi alone climbed to 95 flights, 48 departures and 47 arrivals, across domestic and international sectors.

Ahmedabad reported 23 cancellations (12 arrivals and 11 departures) between midnight December 3 and 7 am on December 4, along with more than 50 delays, while Nagpur saw at least six IndiGo flights cancelled.

IndiGo, which operates 2,200–2,300 flights a day, admitted its network had been “significantly disrupted”.

Moneycontrol has reported that following mass cancellations, fares on certain key routes have jumped up to 10 times  as desperate flyers rush to secure seats on any available flights.