Delhi rain: T-1 grounded, around 130 flights cancelled

NEW DELHI: Flight operations of the T-1 were suspended indefinitely on Friday after a portion of the front gantry canopy collapsed early in the morning.

About 128 flights have been cancelled. The aviation ministry said that “flights to and from Terminal 1 have been closed until further notice.”

On an average, around 200 flights of IndiGo and SpiceJet operate from T1. IndiGo has the largest share of flights. All arrivals and departures have been moved to T-2 and T-3.

The shuttle service from Delhi Aerocity Metro Station to Terminal 1-IGI Airport has also been suspended.

Many passengers reported feeling harassed and most learned their flight had been canceled after arriving at the airport. Some also came from neighboring states.

Shortly after the accident, the T-1 departure check-in counters were closed. Arrivals at T-1 continued until 10:30 a.m., but were then transferred to the other terminals. However, passengers continued to arrive at T-1 until midday on Friday.

It is the last weekend of the summer holidays, a period when travel numbers are high, so airlines have warned of chaos caused by the sudden change in activity.

While aviation authorities have set up a sort of “war room” to minimize disruption, the sheer volume of traffic handled by the T-1 means travelers face ground turbulence at the IGIA.

After inspecting the crash site, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu ordered the creation of a ‘war room’ to oversee operations at T-2 and T-3. Being the second largest terminal (as of now) of India’s busiest airport, the suspension of operations at T-1 will impact the flight schedules of all airline networks.

On Friday morning, when Pujitha Dronadul and her fiancé Vinod Kumar reached T-1, they learned from the media that all operations had been suspended. “We did not receive any message, call or email from the airline regarding our flight status. We left the hotel when we were supposed to return home,” Pujitha said.

Another passenger, Ritesh Yadav, who had booked a flight to Bagdogra, waited for nearly an hour at T-1 as he had no idea about the status of his flight. “I came from Jhajjar, Haryana, to board my flight. However, no airline staff was present to inform us,” said Yadav, who eventually returned home.

Sarda Mahaptra, a private sector executive, wandered aboard the T-1 to catch up on his flight to Bhubaneswar. “I received a message from the airline that my flight was delayed and it would depart at 11 am and not 9:25 am. I am waiting to know whether my flight will depart in the evening or tomorrow,” Mahapatra said, who was going to Bhubaneswar for a holiday flight, said.

Neeno Kaur was scheduled to fly to Mumbai at 11 am as her daughter will be felicitated at an event on Saturday. “Before leaving home, I came to know about the canopy collapse. Since my 11 am flight was cancelled, I booked another flight that was scheduled to depart at 3.15 pm. I completed my online check-in around 11.15 am. However, when I reached the airport around 1 pm, I came to know that all operations of T-1 have been suspended,” said Kaur, who later went to T-3, only to learn that her flight had been cancelled. “My daughter is getting an award, and I don’t know if I will be able to attend it,” said the disappointed mother.

Some passengers said airlines offered them two options: a refund or a flight reschedule. Asif Ali, who had booked a flight to Bangalore for a business meeting, said, “After my flight was canceled, I received the message from the airline and opted for a refund. I postponed my meeting on Friday and will now take another flight. SATURDAY.”

A SpiceJet spokesperson said: “All passengers affected by today’s flight disruptions have been proactively informed by the airline via telephone and email. Notifications regarding flight changes have been sent to the contact details provided at the time of booking. »

IndiGo said the accident “has led to flight cancellations in Delhi as passengers are unable to enter the terminal. Passengers already inside the terminal will be able to board their scheduled flights, but those scheduled to fly later in the day will be offered alternative options. This unforeseen situation has also impacted operations across the network. Customers are advised to track and confirm their flight status before leaving for the airport. IndiGo passengers can call 0124 6173838 or 0124 4973838 to seek assistance with their travel plans. We regret the inconvenience caused to passengers.”

On Friday alone, 116 IndiGo flights were canceled. The airline and Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) are trying to see how many of T1’s 130 IndiGo flights can be shifted to the other terminals. “It’s a crazy situation, everyone is trying to add more flights to the two terminals already operating at full capacity,” a source said.

The crisis has come at a time when the capacity of T-1 was set to increase exponentially with its expanded portion about to be opened to the public. The question now is when the portion will open. “DIAL will have to abandon its plan to close T-2 soon. We need to make TI fully operational – both the new and old portions – before that can be done,” an airline official said.

Before Friday’s accident, the IGIA could have handled 7.4 crore passengers per year. The capacity breakdown was as follows: T-1: 1.7 crore passengers per annum or CPA (all domestic); T-2: 1.5 CPA (all national) and T-3: 4.2 CPA (national and international). The capacity of the T-1 was to increase to 4.5 CPA with the opening of the enlarged part. But today, the capacity has decreased significantly.