Speaking at Kolkata airport before departing for Cooch Behar, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee directly blamed the Centre for what she described as an avoidable aviation collapse. “For days, passengers haven’t been getting flights. This crisis happened because there was no planning. It’s a complete disaster. The Centre is responsible,” she said, adding that travellers “can even move court” over the inconvenience faced.
Banerjee also criticised the suggestion that passengers switch to trains amid flight cancellations, calling the proposal “extreme harassment.” She noted that a two-hour flight turning into a 24–36-hour rail journey with mandatory advance reservations was “unacceptable,” accusing the BJP-led government of prioritising elections over public welfare.
IndiGo’s operational strain remained evident on Monday, with 134 flights cancelled in Delhi, 127 in Bengaluru and 71 in Chennai. Several services from Kolkata, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Visakhapatnam were also grounded. The cancellations, initially triggered by staff shortages and rostering disruptions, have now rippled across the airline’s network, affecting thousands of domestic and international passengers.
At Kolkata airport, IndiGo had 44 scheduled flights between midnight and 10 a.m. Out of 22 planned departures and 22 arrivals, two incoming flights were cancelled while 41 operations went ahead as scheduled. Only two arrivals were delayed beyond 30 minutes, indicating a partial stabilisation but no full recovery.
Extending support to the airline’s crew, Banerjee said pilots were being stretched to keep operations afloat. “Pilots also need rest. There should have been an alternative plan,” she said, urging the Centre and aviation authorities to intervene urgently.
With the holiday travel season approaching, passengers and industry stakeholders await clarity on when IndiGo’s operations will return to normal.
