IndiGo, SpiceJet face flight disruptions as ops at Delhi airport Terminal 1 suspended after roof collapse | Business News
Flight operations at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) were impacted on Friday as departures from the airport’s Terminal 1 were suspended till further notice following the collapse of a portion of the roof in the terminal’s forecourt in the wee hours amid heavy rainfall. One person was killed and eight others were injured in the incident.
IGIA’s Terminal 1 is used only for domestic flight operations, with IndiGo and SpiceJet operating flights from the terminal. According to information provided by IGIA operator Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), IndiGo cancelled 62 departures and seven arrivals, while SpiceJet cancelled eight departures and four arrivals due to the suspension of operations at Terminal 1.
“As a precautionary measure, all flight operations from Terminal 1 have been suspended till further notice and rescheduled by the respective Airlines to operate from Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, till the impacted areas are restored for operations,” DIAL said in a statement. IGIA has three passenger terminals in all, with the largest being Terminal 3.
Given the disruption, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) announced measures to help passengers as well as handle the additional stress that will be faced by Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 due to the temporary closure of Terminal 1.
On the passenger convenience front, the measures include an advisory to all airlines to ensure that this situation does not lead to a steep increase in airfares, and directions to IndiGo and SpiceJet to offer full refund or alternative flights to those affected by flight cancellations.
“A 24/7 War Room will be established under the close monitoring of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. This War Room will ensure the full refund of cancelled flights or provide alternative travel route tickets as per availability. All refunds will be processed within a stipulated time of 7 days,” MoCA said in a statement.
In a statement early Friday, the country’s largest airline IndiGo said: “IndiGo flight operations are impacted due to structural damage to Terminal 1, Delhi Airport because of adverse weather conditions. This has led to flight cancellations at Delhi as passengers are not able to enter the terminal. Passengers already inside the terminal will be able to board their planned flights, but those with flights later in the day will be offered alternatives.”
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Later, the airline announced that it was cancelling all its flights scheduled to depart till midnight from Terminal 1, while those slated to arrive at the terminal will arrive at one of the other two terminals at IGIA. For flights that were scheduled to leave from Terminal 1 after midnight, IndiGo asked passengers to keep a close watch on the flight status. SpiceJet said that all its flights that were scheduled to depart from Terminal 1 on Saturday will now leave from Terminal 3. Both IndiGo and SpiceJet said that the affected passengers can choose alternative flights or a full refund.
According to IndiGo, the unforeseen situation at the Delhi airport has impacted operations across the airline’s network. IGIA, which is the country’s largest airport by passenger volumes, is a major hub for most Indian carriers, including IndiGo.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
