Passengers hassled as 82 flights cancelled on Day One of flight operations in Capital
NEW DELHI: Sunil Kujur, a retired government employee, was woken up by an early morning call informing of his father’s demise. Kujur, a resident of west Delhi’s Uttam Nagar, reserved two seats for himself and his daughter on an Air India flight to Ranchi. Just when they were about to leave home, they learnt the flight had been cancelled.
“I had to take an afternoon flight. I was late for my father’s last rites,” Kujur said.
Having a reservation in the same cancelled Air India flight was a government hospital doctor, whose father had died on Monday morning. He later another flight to Ranchi but said there was no intimation about the cancellation.
“There was not a single message or mail informing me about the cancellation. All of us who reached the airport today are mostly travelling in emergencies. If the airlines cannot keep the schedule on time, they must at least keep their passengers posted. This is sheer mismanagement, “said the doctor, who wished not to be named.
Kujur and the doctors were among scores of passengers whose flights were cancelled due to a multitude of reasons as airlines resumed operations across India on Monday.
Instead of following the national guidelines issued by the Centre for all passengers, many set their own rules: Karnataka requires mandatory institutional quarantine for passengers from worst-affected states, while Punjab and Meghalaya have made a swab test mandatory for arrivals.
Three states — Maharashtra, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu — requested the Centre government to reconsider the decision to allow domestic flight operations as it could lead to a spike.
At the Delhi airport, at least 82 flights, both departures and arrivals, were cancelled.
According to Air India, flight schedules had to be redrawn late last evening by all airlines due to last-minute decision on general flight operations to certain states, inconveniencing passengers of multiple airlines.
“Air India is doing its best to extend all support to its esteemed pax, according topmost priority to all safety norms, and in sync with the flight movement and operational issues prevailing throughout its network,” said an airline spokesperson.
Domestic flight operations has been shut completely on March 25 when the Prime Minister had announced a nationwide lockdown in order to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Monday was the first day when airports in the country resumed domestic services since the lockdown.
All passengers were wearing face masks.
Many were seen wearing face shields and gloves. A few were even spotted wearing full-body protective suits.
Most people flying out of Delhi on Monday said they were travelling because of emergency.
Anil Mahapatra, an advocate who practises at a sessions court in Delhi, said he was going to Bhubaneswar to meet his mother who has been unwell for the past month. “My wife, who used to stay with my mother, had come to meet me in March and got stuck here due to the lockdown. Despite my mother being unwell we couldn’t visit her. She is old,” Mahapatra said.
The lawyer, who travelled to the airport from Gurugram, said cabs were easily available and there was no overpricing.
A majority of the people who were left stranded because of the cancelled flights complained that the operators “cared little” to inform them of the changes.
The Delhi airport operator and the airlines took to social media to connect with their fliers.
“Due to restrictions implemented by various local authorities, flights have got cancelled today. Stay in touch with the airline concerned for updated flight info. Planned flight operations for today are as follows: Departure118 flights, Arrival- 125 flights,” DIAL (Delhi International Airport Ltd) tweeted on Monday.
Vistara airlines also took to Twitter, posting, “#Importantupdate: Many Indian states have issued their respective state-wise protocols that all entering passengers must follow. We advise to follow these guidelines for travel.”
A few passengers, who had landed in Delhi, and were planning to travel further, were stuck on Monday. Among them was Komal Jaswal, who was stuck in Delhi because her flight to Pathankot was cancelled. Jaswal said she planned to hire a taxi to reach Punjab. “I work at a private firm in Pune. I had booked an Indigo flight from Pune to Pathankot but it was cancelled. I had to book another flight with Spicejet to reach Delhi and from here, I plan to hire a cab. It is better to travel for six to seven hours in a cab and reach home instead of spending a day at the airport.”
A spokesperson for Indigo said, “Indigo operations ran smoothly and as of today afternoon, 85% of our flights have reached their final destination within 30 minutes of scheduled arrival time. There were no major delays or any other disruptions. Due to the change in state guidelines, affected passengers were provided flexibility to either re-book on alternative flights or transfer their complete booking amount into credit shells for future bookings.”
A yoga instructor, Anjali Rai, who travelled from Bangalore to Delhi in a Vistara flight, claimed passengers were not following social distancing norms. “Despite the government advertising so much and holding repetitive campaigns, people are still negligent,” said Rai, who travelled wearing gloves, a face shield and a face mask.
Rai, who lives in Panipat, said she was waiting for her brother to pick her up, as cabs were charging higher prices.