New Delhi, 5 December (H.S.):

India's largest carrier IndiGo faces an ongoing operational crisis due to crew shortages, with the disruptions expected to continue into the coming days, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. The airline acknowledged misjudging the crew shortfall and admitted lapses in its planning process.

On Thursday alone, over 550 flights were cancelled across more than 10 airports, exacerbating the travel nightmare.The three-day ordeal has severely hampered IndiGo's operations, prompting protests from affected passengers at multiple locations.

Cancellations hit key hubs including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Goa, Jaipur, and Indore, with Delhi-Mumbai routes among the hardest impacted. Frustrated travellers staged demonstrations at several airports amid the chaos.

IndiGo's admission highlights a failure to anticipate the crew shortage's scale, which has snowballed into widespread cancellations and delays. The airline's dominance in the domestic market amplifies the fallout, as passengers grapple with rescheduling woes and limited alternatives.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar