Patna: Flight operations at Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport in Patna were disrupted for several hours on Friday after eight pairs of IndiGo Airlines flights were cancelled due to operational reasons, affecting a large number of passengers.
The cancelled services included flights to and from major cities such as Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai. According to airport sources, the affected IndiGo flights were 6E 6387/2163 (Delhi), 6E 713/663 (Kolkata), 6E 6643/6644 (Delhi), 6E 6451/6452 (Bengaluru), 6E 915/6683 (Hyderabad), 6E 6549/6550 (Delhi), 6E 678/679 (Chennai) and 6E 6334/6335 (Hyderabad).
The cancellations led to long waits at the terminal, with several passengers facing difficulties in securing refunds and alternative travel arrangements. Despite the disruption, 32 pairs of flights operated as scheduled, helping maintain partial air traffic movement at the airport.
In addition to IndiGo, one pair of SpiceJet flights operating between Patna and Mumbai was also cancelled, adding to passenger inconvenience. SpiceJet officials said affected travellers were provided assistance related to refunds and rebooking on the next available flight.
21 flights delayed
Along with cancellations, delays were reported throughout the day. Fifteen departing flights and six arriving flights were delayed, with waiting times ranging from 15 minutes to nearly an hour. The delays resulted in extended waiting times at the airport and impacted connecting flights and onward journeys for many passengers.
Airport officials said the disruptions were caused by operational challenges faced by airlines. The airport management is coordinating with airlines to normalise flight operations as quickly as possible.
Passengers have been advised to check the latest flight status before leaving for the airport and to arrive well in advance to avoid inconvenience.
Winter schedule from December 17
Airport authorities also confirmed that the winter flight schedule will come into effect from December 17. Under the revised schedule, IndiGo will operate 23 pairs of flights from Patna. Air India is expected to run five pairs of flights, Air India Express two pairs, and SpiceJet three pairs.
