Categories: Travel

Ensure there is no abnormal surge in airfares for Delhi flights, govt tells airlines, ET TravelWorld

The civil aviation ministry on Friday said heavy rain has resulted in the collapse of the canopy of Delhi airport T1. “As a result of which flights to & from Terminal 1 have been closed till further notice. Alternate arrangements are being made for the smooth operation of the flights,” the ministry said in a post on X.

The civil aviation ministry on Friday asked airlines to ensure that there is no abnormal surge in airfares for flights to and from the national capital amid suspension of operations at Delhi airport’s Terminal 1 following the roof collapse incident. On Friday at around 5 am, a canopy at the old departure forecourt of the Terminal 1 (T1) partially collapsed, an incident that left one person dead and at least six others injured. With the T1, which handles domestic flight operations of IndiGo and SpiceJet, being shut, there have been flight cancellations and operations have been shifted to T2 and T3 temporarily.

Against this backdrop, a senior official on Friday said the ministry has asked airlines to ensure that there is no abnormal surge in airfares for flights to and from Delhi.

India’s largest airline, IndiGo, said the same has led to its flights being impacted. “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. This unplanned situation has also led to operations across the network being impacted. Customers are advised to keep a track of and confirm their flight status before leaving for the airport,” IndiGo said in a statement.

In a series of posts on X, the ministry said airlines have been advised that cancellations and rescheduling of flights due to the incident may be done without penal charges. “In view of the unfortunate incident at Terminal T1D IGIA, Delhi, all airlines are advised to monitor any abnormal surge in airfares to and from Delhi and take necessary action regarding the same,” it said.

A source in the know said that following the T1 incident, IndiGo has cancelled 62 flight departures and 7 flight arrivals while SpiceJet has cancelled 8 flight departures and 4 flight arrivals.