Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) plunged into a second straight day of severe disruption on Thursday, December 4, as widespread cancellations by IndiGo triggered chaos, confusion and escalating passenger anger. 

Airport officials confirmed that 68 IndiGo flights were cancelled through the day — 35 arrivals and 33 departures — more than double the number scrapped on Wednesday, December 3, when 31 cancellations had already thrown operations off balance.

Passengers Left Without Information, No Clarity on Alternatives

While cancellations formed the bulk of the disruption, dozens of passengers also reported prolonged delays, saying they were left with no reliable communication on revised timings or alternative arrangements.

Multiple travellers said flight information screens at RGIA on Thursday morning displayed “rows of cancellations,” all linked to IndiGo.

IndiGo Blames ‘Unforeseen Operational Challenges’

In a statement issued late Wednesday (December 3), IndiGo attributed the meltdown to “a multitude of unforeseen operational challenges.”

These included:

  1. Minor tech glitches
  2. Weather-induced schedule changes
  3. Increased aviation congestion
  4. Winter-season operational constraints

Updated Flight Duty Time Limitations for crew

These factors had a “compounding effect that was not feasible to anticipate,” the airline said, adding that it was initiating 48 hours of calibrated schedule adjustments to stabilise operations.

Passengers Furious: ‘We Have Been Waiting 24 Hours’

The situation on the ground was far more volatile. Social media videos showed heated arguments between passengers and airline staff inside the airport.

In one widely shared clip, travellers on a Hyderabad–Bengaluru service confronted staff, demanding to know why flights were being scheduled without available crew. A distressed woman said those travelling for emergencies were being put through unnecessary trauma.

Another clip, posted by Srikar Kandikonda, showed frustrated fliers surrounding IndiGo personnel at a boarding gate. He alleged the airline had been “messing with people since yesterday,” adding that some passengers had been stuck at the airport for over 24 hours while the airline continued accepting new bookings. His own flight, he said, was cancelled just one hour before departure.

Repeated Cancellations Leave Travellers Stranded for Days

Ravi Thakkar said he had been stranded in Hyderabad for three days due to repeated cancellations of flight 6E 883. “Rescheduled twice, cancelled every time. Now asked to stay one more day. Who covers my stay, transport and work loss?” he wrote.

Another passenger, Aditya Bhargava, said his Hyderabad–Madurai flight (6E 6467) was cancelled at 3.15 am, barely three hours before its scheduled 6.45 am departure. He added that he was unable to access the airline’s Plan B option for rebooking.

What Happens Next?

With the airline warning of 48 hours of operational recalibration, officials expect disruptions to continue into Friday. Airport authorities have advised passengers to check flight status before leaving home and arrive early to navigate possible queues.

For now, Dec 4 will go down as one of the worst days of operational turbulence for Hyderabad Airport — and passengers hope the chaos does not stretch into a third day.