The ongoing IndiGo flight disruptions have prompted Indian Railways to deploy 116 extra coaches across 37 trains to ease passenger travel. This measure comes in response to a surge in demand for alternative travel options as thousands of passengers face flight cancellations and delays.
Northern Railways has taken the lead by planning five special trains and preparing to roll out additional services to accommodate the heavy passenger traffic. The extra coaches include sleeper, AC chair car, and general second-class segments, depending on the requirements of each route. Railways officials have reported that the 116 coaches have been added through 114 augmented trips, with each trip carrying up to 4,000 passengers, potentially accommodating 489,288 passengers overall.
Further plans are underway to introduce 30 new special trains, each with 18 coaches and the capacity to carry 30,780 passengers per trip. These trains will cover 57 trips and are expected to serve 2,116,800 travelers. In total, these arrangements are designed to handle approximately 35,000 passengers daily, ensuring connectivity for nearly 26 lakh passengers during this period.
Western Railway has also decided to attach additional AC II Tier coaches to key Mumbai-Delhi trains, beginning Saturday, December 6. This decision follows a directive from the Railway Board instructing all zones to add extra coaches to manage the surge of wait-listed passengers resulting from the mass cancellation of IndiGo flights. Specifically, an extra AC II Tier coach will be added to the Mumbai-Delhi-Mumbai Rajdhani Express (12951/12952) on trains departing from both ends. The Rajdhani Express leaving Mumbai Central will have the additional coach from December 6 to 10, while the Delhi-Mumbai service will carry the extra coach from December 7 to 11. The Swarna Jayanti Rajdhani Express between Sabarmati (Ahmedabad) and New Delhi will also operate with an additional AC II Tier coach from December 6 to 10 in the Ahmedabad–Delhi direction and from December 7 to 11 in the opposite direction.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has also implemented passenger-centric measures, including automatic refunds for cancelled flights, hotel accommodations, lounge access for senior citizens, and refreshments for delayed passengers. A 24/7 control room is monitoring operations in real-time to coordinate corrective actions and resource deployment. Airports have also increased staff to manage passenger flow amidst the disruptions.
The IndiGo flight cancellations have affected various airports across the country. Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport reported a total of 125 arrival and 167 departure cancellations. Ahmedabad Airport has announced the cancellation of 86 flights on December 5, including 50 departures and 36 arrivals. Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport has also experienced crowded terminals and stranded travelers due to the delays and cancellations.
IndiGo has confirmed the cancellation of all domestic departures from Delhi Airport on December 5 until 11:59 pm. The airline has apologized for the disruptions and is providing affected passengers with refreshments, rebooking options, hotel accommodations, baggage retrieval assistance, and full refunds where applicable. IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers anticipates that normalcy will be restored by December 15.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted IndiGo a temporary exemption from certain night duty and Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) restrictions for its A320 fleet until February 10, 2026, to stabilize schedules while maintaining safety. IndiGo is required to submit bi-weekly updates on crew utilization, operational improvements, and a 30-day roadmap for full FDTL compliance.
The government has ordered a high-level inquiry to investigate the breakdown, assign accountability, and recommend measures to prevent similar disruptions in the future, ensuring passenger safety and operational stability nationwide.
