In a recent tweet, Anupam Mittal, founder of Shaadi.com and judge on Shark Tank India, accused Indian airlines IndiGo and Vistara of frequently canceling flights at the last minute due to insufficient passenger numbers. Mittal highlighted what he believed to be a discernible pattern of cancellations, followed by alternative arrangements for accommodating other travelers.
Mittal’s tweet read, “Clear pattern emerging on Indian airlines especially Vistara and Indigo when they don’t have enough load on a flight, they cancel last minute with impunity and without giving any reasons and combine with an earlier or later flight and call it ‘rescheduling’…”
The outspoken entrepreneur urged his Twitter followers to retweet his post and tagged the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to draw attention to the issue, aiming to minimize inconveniences faced by travelers, particularly the elderly.
Mittal’s claims resonated with numerous users on social media who shared similar experiences of flight cancellations and rescheduling. One user revealed their frustrating encounter with SpiceJet, expressing disappointment with multiple flight timing changes, including a bewildering alteration at 4:10 am, causing significant disruption to their travel plans.
Responding to the user, Mittal empathized by sharing his own family’s experience of flight cancellations and rescheduling, highlighting the airlines’ failure to provide any reasons for the inconveniences caused.
While some users argued that combining flights to reduce carbon emissions was a responsible action, Mittal countered that perspective by emphasizing the emotional toll such cancellations could have on individuals attending important events like funerals.
Thus far, neither IndiGo nor Vistara have officially addressed the allegations made by Mittal or responded to the concerns raised by affected passengers.
Flight cancellations and rescheduling can cause significant distress and inconvenience to travelers, impacting their plans and causing emotional and financial strain. As such, it is crucial for airlines to maintain transparent communication and provide reasonable justifications for such disruptions to ensure customer satisfaction and build trust within the industry.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), being the regulatory body overseeing aviation operations in India, may investigate the matter further in response to Mittal’s tweet and the subsequent public discourse. The outcome of such an inquiry could potentially lead to measures aimed at preventing the alleged pattern of last-minute cancellations and rescheduling.
Passengers are advised to stay informed about their flights and maintain regular contact with their respective airlines to mitigate the impact of any potential disruptions.
Sources By Agencies
