(MENAFN- Live Mint) Long queues, distressed travellers, and a string of flight cancellations led to a chaotic start to the day at Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Saturday, as IndiGo' s nationwide operational crisis showed little sign of easing.

The turmoil unfolded even after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) temporarily suspended its Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) directive. The decision to hold the order in abeyance came amid several days of widespread delays and cancellations across IndiGo's network, leaving passengers on multiple routes struggling to rearrange their journeys.

According to airport authorities, between midnight and 6 am on Saturday, seven incoming flights and twelve departures were cancelled in Ahmedabad alone. The disruption resulted in snaking queues, congested terminal areas, and rising frustration among travellers left with limited alternatives.

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Among the worst affected was Mahrishi Jani, who was moved to tears as he recounted how the cancellations had derailed an opportunity his team had spent months preparing for.

“I was scheduled to go to Guwahati on a 6.15 am flight; this was a connecting flight from Kolkata. We were selected for Smart India Hackathon 2025; about 74,000 ideas were submitted there, and nearly 1400 ideas were selected. Our centre was North-Eastern Hill University, and we were scheduled to perform there,” he told ANI.

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Jani said that despite extensive preparations, the abrupt cancellation left all eight members - six students and two mentors - with no workable travel plan.“We had booked IndiGo flights. But the flight is delayed and so, we will not be able to go there. There is no other possible way of transportation. If we take a train, it will take us 3 days to reach there. Our hard work of 6-7 months is now wasted. We are returning home. Such opportunities are rare...We were selected in the first attempt, but due to flight cancellation, we are unable to go ahead. We were a team of 6 people, and we were accompanied by 2 mentors.”

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Another traveller, Ikhlaq Hussain, described being stranded despite arriving from overseas.“I have reached Ahmedabad from Jeddah, and I am scheduled to head to Lucknow...I am stuck here for the past 2 days but the flight keeps getting delayed,” Hussain said.

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