Flight cancellations continue to strand many Alliance Air eases woes with special flight for today

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Dec 7 : Even as the Government has intervened to address the operational challenges plaguing IndiGo Airlines Nationwide, flight cancellations continue to disrupt travellers, with six flights to and from Imphal cancelled today.
According to Flight-Radar24, a flight tracking app, the cancelled flights included arrivals from Guwa- hati, Agartala, and Kolkata and departures to Guwahati, Agartala, and Kolkata.
At least 22 flights were scheduled for Imphal today-11 arrivals and 11 departures of which six have been cancelled.
Nationwide, 650 flights have been cancelled today, according to multiple reports.
IndiGo Airlines, in its latest statement, stated that it expects operations to stabilise by December 10.
A source familiar with flight routes suggested that air passengers stranded in Guwahati can travel to Bagdogra, where Air India Express operates flights to Imphal.
The distance between Bagdogra, located in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, and Guwahati is approximately 488 km by road.
Apart from flight cancellation, another major concern among passengers is the disparity in refund processing for cancelled flights.
According to a well-placed source, passengers who booked directly through the official IndiGo Airlines website are receiving quick and hassle-free refunds while those who made reservations through private third-party ticketing sites are expressing frustration over significant delays in receiving their reimbursements.
Many travellers choose to book flights through third-party sites as they offer a wider range of flight options and easier price comparisons.
Amid the widespread flight cancellations, Air Alliance has scheduled an additional Imphal-Guwahati flight for December 8, offering some relief to passengers.
Authorities at Imphal Airport said that the special arrangement was made in response to high passenger demand, in close coordination with Alliance Air’s Network Planning Team.
They also emphasized that Imphal Airport is fully prepared to extend operating hours as needed.
"Regardless of the duration, the airport is always ready to support all airline operators in conducting flights before or beyond the scheduled watch hours, while strictly adhering to WDTL requirements," the authorities said.
Notably, the increase in booking flights to and from Imphal reflects the growing reliance on air travel since the crisis began in Manipur, as the Meitei community remains cut off from highways.
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Saturday issued a show cause notice to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers after the massive flight disruptions over the past few days became the country’s worst aviation crisis in decades. The DGCA held him directly accountable for “significant lapses in planning, oversight, and resource management” and gave him 24 hours to explain why enforcement action should not be initiated for violations that pre- cipitated the country’s worst aviation crisis in years.
Earlier, the Ministry of Civil Aviation capped airfares at Rs 7,500 for routes up to 500km, Rs 12,000 for 500-1,000km, Rs 15,000 for 1,000-1,500km, and Rs 18,000 for routes above 1,500km, excluding airport fees and taxes.