New Delhi: Passengers traveling between Delhi and Mumbai are facing unprecedented airfare hikes, with return tickets now reaching nearly Rs 60,000 in the economy category, as IndiGo’s ongoing operational chaos continues to disrupt hundreds of flights across the country. The surge in fares comes amid last-minute booking pressures, leaving travelers with little choice but to pay steep premiums.
The aviation turmoil stems from a series of IndiGo cancellations that have affected 523 flights nationwide in a single day, including a complete suspension of domestic departures from Delhi Airport until midnight. This has triggered a scramble among passengers to secure alternative flights with other carriers, fueling a sharp spike in demand and creating a ripple effect across online booking platforms. On some routes, one-way fares have surged to around Rs 35,000, while prices for same-day return trips have nearly tripled compared to typical last-minute fares, which usually hover around Rs 20,000.
The Delhi-Mumbai corridor, one of the busiest air routes globally, has been particularly hard-hit. Passengers stranded by cancellations are now forced to either postpone travel or incur exorbitant costs to reach their destinations, turning routine travel into a costly affair. Industry experts say that this situation highlights the fragility of domestic air travel in India when a major carrier experiences widespread operational setbacks.
The crisis is not limited to Delhi. Similar disruptions are being reported across other major cities, as IndiGo struggles to manage crew shortages and flight scheduling issues, compounded by the Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) regulations mandated by the DGCA. These rules, aimed at ensuring pilots receive adequate rest, have temporarily reduced flight capacity, exacerbating the backlog of passengers and inflating ticket prices.
For many travelers, especially those needing urgent travel for work or family commitments, the situation has turned the country’s most popular domestic routes into a logistical and financial nightmare. Airline officials have assured that efforts are underway to normalize operations, but passengers are being urged to plan ahead and prepare for continued disruptions and high fares in the immediate weeks ahead.
The IndiGo crisis underscores the broader challenge of balancing regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and passenger demand in India’s fast-growing aviation sector, raising concerns over affordability and accessibility for everyday travelers.