IndiGo Flight Chaos Crushes Dreams Of Two Kerala Students Headed To National Games In Indore
Kochi: Two young athletes from Kerala, both state-level gold medallists, were left heartbroken at Kochi airport on Saturday after repeated IndiGo flight disruptions stopped them from travelling to Indore for the ongoing SGFI National Games.
The students, who had trained for months and earned their place at the national-level competition, now fear they have lost their chance to participate, not because of any mistake of their own, but due to the massive nationwide flight crisis affecting IndiGo for the fifth consecutive day.
The students told reporters that they had reached Kochi airport on Friday after being informed that their flight to Indore was postponed. When they returned on Saturday, hoping to finally board, they were shocked to learn that the flight had been cancelled altogether.
Airport staff informed them that it may take up to two days to get another confirmed flight to Indore. By then, the event they worked so hard for would already be over.
Both students had won gold medals at the Kerala state-level events and were selected to represent the state at the prestigious SGFI National Games taking place in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
Also, read| IndiGo CEO Peter Elbers Apologises For Severe Flight Disruptions, Announces Major Lines Of Action
“We have been practising for months. This was our dream. Now the game will end before we even reach there,” one of the students told Reporter TV.
The disruption comes at a time when IndiGo continues to struggle with an unprecedented operational crisis. A severe shortage of pilots, caused by planning lapses, has led to mass cancellations and delays across the country.
The situation has affected tens of thousands of passengers, pushing up travel costs and creating widespread confusion at airports.
Also, read| Massive IndiGo Flight Problems Leave Thousands Of Passengers Stranded Across India
On Friday, IndiGo apologised for the crisis and promised refunds for all cancelled flights. Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Ministry has instructed all airlines to strictly follow newly imposed fare caps to prevent sudden spikes in ticket prices.
Air India and Air India Express have already announced that they capped domestic fares from December 4 onwards.
As disruptions continue into the weekend, the central government is reportedly considering strong action, including the possible removal of IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers.
