(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Dec 6 (IANS) Commenting on the ongoing Indigo flight cancellations and delays, Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Rajasthan Assembly and Congress MLA Tika Ram Jully on Saturday said that the situation is extremely serious and the government must take immediate cognisance.

Speaking to IANS, Jully said,“The situation that has emerged at airports is very serious. Most passengers book flights for urgent work or fixed schedules, whether for business or personal reasons. However, it appears as if IndiGo has deliberately created this situation to pressurise the government and force it to bend, leaving passengers helpless until the government responds.”

The Congress leader added,“The government has increased the mandatory rest hours, but further action is needed. The way IndiGo increased fares from Rs 7,000-Rs 8,000 to almost Rs 1 lakh is unacceptable. People will still travel, but that does not give airlines the right to exploit them.”

Jully further alleged that other airlines have also started increasing fares.

“Even after the Pahalgam attack, several airlines hiked prices. Whatever the circumstances may be, the government must intervene,” he said.

Meanwhile, IndiGo cancelled a total of 405 domestic flights as the significant crisis affecting the airline reached its fifth day on Saturday. However, Indian Railways stepped in to help the harassed passengers by adding extra coaches to its trains to accommodate the rush of people.

With a daily operation of 2,300 flights and a fleet exceeding 400 aircraft, IndiGo's punctuality has drastically declined due to ongoing operational issues that are likely to persist for several more days.

The root of the current crisis primarily lies in an unexpected shortage of pilots due to planning shortcomings, and authorities are closely monitoring the situation.

Scenes of total disarray have occurred at airports nationwide as IndiGo's domestic passengers voiced their frustration over delays and cancellations of their flights.

Amid a sharp rise in passenger demand following widespread IndiGo flight cancellations, the Indian Railways has stepped in and deployed 116 additional coaches across 37 premium trains, covering 114 enhanced trips nationwide.

The Railway Ministry said in a press statement that Southern Railway recorded the highest number of augmentations, increasing capacity in 18 trains.

"Additional Chair Car and Sleeper Class coaches have been deployed on high-demand routes. These augmentations, implemented from December 6, 2025 onward, substantially expand accommodation capacity in the southern region," the ministry said.

"Northern Railway (NR) follows with augmentations on eight trains, adding 3AC and Chair Car coaches. These measures implemented today onwards enhance availability on heavily travelled northern corridors," it further added.

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