IndiGo Flight Chaos Leaves Newlyweds Stranded, Joins Reception Virtually
Bengaluru: A wedding reception took an unexpected digital turn in Hubballi, Karnataka, when a newlywed couple had to attend their own celebration virtually after IndiGo flight cancellations stranded them miles away.
Medha Kshirsagar from Hubballi and Sangram Das from Bhubaneswar, both software engineers based in Bengaluru, were set to host their formal reception at Gujarat Bhavan, Hubballi, following their marriage in Bhubaneswar on 23 November.
Despite tickets booked from Bhubaneswar to Bengaluru and onwards to Hubballi, the bride and groom were stranded after delays that started at 9 AM on Tuesday and continued until the early hours of the next day. Their flight was eventually cancelled on 3 December. Many relatives travelling the same route also faced cancellations.
With guests already gathered and preparations complete, the bride’s parents stepped in to occupy the couple’s seats and perform the rituals. Meanwhile, the couple, fully dressed in wedding attire, joined the reception via video conferencing.
"The wedding took place on November 23, and we had planned the reception for December 3. But suddenly, at 4 am, the flight was cancelled. We were still hopeful that they might make it, but they couldn't," said the bride’s mother.
"We felt very bad we had invited so many relatives, and it was impossible to cancel the event at the last minute. So, after discussing as a family, we decided to have the couple attend the reception online and broadcast their participation on the screen," she added.
IndiGo Flight Cancellations and Ongoing Chaos
IndiGo has cancelled hundreds of flights across India in recent days, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. Airports in Delhi, Jaipur, Bhopal, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai have been particularly affected.
On Thursday, IndiGo which operates around 2,200 flights daily cancelled over 500 flights, the highest single-day cancellations in its 20-year history. The airline told the DGCA that operations are expected to fully stabilise by 10 February next year and requested temporary relaxations in flight duty norms.
IndiGo acknowledged that the disruptions are largely due to planning gaps in implementing the second phase of the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms. The airline also informed regulators that additional cancellations are expected until 8 December, after which some services will be reduced.
The Hubballi reception incident highlights the far-reaching impact of flight disruptions on personal events, showing how technology can bridge the distance when travel plans go awry.
Medha Kshirsagar from Hubballi and Sangram Das from Bhubaneswar, both software engineers based in Bengaluru, were set to host their formal reception at Gujarat Bhavan, Hubballi, following their marriage in Bhubaneswar on 23 November.
Despite tickets booked from Bhubaneswar to Bengaluru and onwards to Hubballi, the bride and groom were stranded after delays that started at 9 AM on Tuesday and continued until the early hours of the next day. Their flight was eventually cancelled on 3 December. Many relatives travelling the same route also faced cancellations.
With guests already gathered and preparations complete, the bride’s parents stepped in to occupy the couple’s seats and perform the rituals. Meanwhile, the couple, fully dressed in wedding attire, joined the reception via video conferencing.
"The wedding took place on November 23, and we had planned the reception for December 3. But suddenly, at 4 am, the flight was cancelled. We were still hopeful that they might make it, but they couldn't," said the bride’s mother.
"We felt very bad we had invited so many relatives, and it was impossible to cancel the event at the last minute. So, after discussing as a family, we decided to have the couple attend the reception online and broadcast their participation on the screen," she added.
IndiGo Flight Cancellations and Ongoing Chaos
IndiGo has cancelled hundreds of flights across India in recent days, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. Airports in Delhi, Jaipur, Bhopal, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai have been particularly affected.
On Thursday, IndiGo which operates around 2,200 flights daily cancelled over 500 flights, the highest single-day cancellations in its 20-year history. The airline told the DGCA that operations are expected to fully stabilise by 10 February next year and requested temporary relaxations in flight duty norms.
IndiGo acknowledged that the disruptions are largely due to planning gaps in implementing the second phase of the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms. The airline also informed regulators that additional cancellations are expected until 8 December, after which some services will be reduced.
The Hubballi reception incident highlights the far-reaching impact of flight disruptions on personal events, showing how technology can bridge the distance when travel plans go awry.
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