IndiGo Meltdown Cripples Air Travel in Tripura: 39 Flights Cancelled, Fares Triple, Passengers Slam ‘Shameless’ AAI Director Briefings
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, December 11, 2025
Agartala’s Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) Airport witnessed one of the worst aviation disruptions in its recent history as India’s largest airline, IndiGo, plunged into an unprecedented operational crisis, forcing the cancellation of 39 flights between 29 November and 9 December. The cascading impact crippled Tripura’s air connectivity, sent flight fares skyrocketing, and pushed thousands of passengers into extreme hardship.
Ironically, the Airport Authority, absent during the peak of the crisis, addressed the media only after slight improvement in the situation, drawing sharp criticism. Many questioned the purpose of what they called a shameless press conference at a time when passengers were still dealing with the aftermath of massive cancellations and soaring airfares.
The prolonged disruption began when a technical glitch affected systems at MBB Airport. Initially dismissed as a local issue, it soon became clear that the cancellations were part of a nationwide operational breakdown within IndiGo, triggered not only by local faults but also by the airline's acute scarcity of pilots and crew.
Addressing a press conference, Airport Director Mohan Nehra explained that the technical disturbance had crippled several essential services at the airport.
Over 11 days, IndiGo cancelled 39 flights, affecting several thousand passengers. Our team worked day and night to manage the situation and ensure passenger safety, he said.
However, aviation experts have confirmed that the deeper cause of the crisis lies in the new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules enforced by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The rules, aimed at improving pilot rest periods, severely restricted crew availability for IndiGo, a problem intensified by the airline’s already thin pilot roster.
MBB Airport handles 10–11 IndiGo flights daily, making the airline the dominant operator in Tripura. As the airline slashed schedules nationwide, Agartala suffered the worst blow, with 6–9 flights cancelled each day. Other airlines such as Air India Express and Akasa Air continued their scheduled services unaffected, further proving that the crisis was internal to IndiGo.
The chaos left thousands stranded. Airfares on the Agartala–Kolkata route, normally around Rs. 3,200, surged to Rs. 11,000 to Rs. 13,000, making essential travel unaffordable for many.
“My daughter’s wedding reception was in Kolkata. The sudden cancellation ruined all our plans. I had to buy another ticket at triple the price,” said a frustrated passenger.
In response to the severe passenger distress, airport authorities claimed that they arranged additional seating, drinking water, food services, and coordinated with IndiGo for faster refunds and safe luggage return. Airport Director Nehra added that IndiGo’s performance is slowly stabilizing.
“Since 7 December, IndiGo has achieved 100% on-time performance. An additional 186-seater flight to Delhi was introduced on 10 December to meet the rising demand.”
Despite temporary improvements, experts warn that unless IndiGo resolves its deep-rooted crew shortage, the situation may recur. They emphasize that Tripura must diversify airline presence to avoid over-dependence on a single carrier.
As the dust begins to settle, the frustration among passengers remains and so do questions over IndiGo’s preparedness, the airport authority’s delayed communication, and the state’s vulnerability to aviation disruptions.
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