Kolkata, December 4 (Udaipur Kiran): Passengers are facing increasing inconvenience due to continuous disruptions in flight services over the past three days. With the winter travel rush at its peak, the cancellation of several flights by a private airline has led to chaos at both Kolkata and Durgapur airports.
On Thursday morning, a total of 11 flights were cancelled at Kolkata Airport between 6 am and 10 am. In addition, 10 incoming and 10 outgoing flights were delayed, resulting in long queues and growing frustration among passengers.
At Kazi Nazrul Islam Airport in Durgapur, the Mumbai-bound flight was cancelled on Wednesday, while the Chennai-bound flight was cancelled on Thursday. Although airport authorities stated that flights on other routes are operating, they are running behind schedule.
Airport Director Kailash Mandal said that the Mumbai flight was cancelled on Wednesday and today the Chennai flight has been cancelled. He added that other services are continuing but with delays. However, he did not comment on the private airline involved and attributed the problem to winter conditions.
Due to the cancellations, passengers expressed strong resentment. A passenger, Asim Nandi, present at Durgapur Airport, said that he was supposed to travel to Chennai for medical treatment, but the flight was cancelled in the morning, leaving him worried about how he would now proceed.
In a statement, the airline cited adverse weather, technical issues and revised duty time norms for crew members as the main reasons for the disruptions.
Under the recently implemented rules, a crew member is allowed to work only eight hours a day, thirty-five hours a week, one hundred and twenty-five hours a month and a maximum of one thousand hours a year. After the enforcement of these norms, a shortage of staff has reportedly emerged, affecting flight operations.
Questions are also being raised as to why such a situation has arisen suddenly in December, even though these rules were issued a month ago. No clear answer has yet emerged.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
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