Travel Disruption in India After SpiceJet, Akasa Air, flydubai, Virgin Atlantic, and More Airlines Cancel Over a Dozen New Flights, Affecting Routes to Delhi, Mumbai, London, Dubai, and Beyond

Over a two-day period, flight cancellations in India disrupted operations at several major airports, leading to a total of 18 cancelled departures nationwide. The affected destinations spanned key domestic cities such as Varanasi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, New Delhi, Srinagar, Pune, Kandla, and Ahmedabad, alongside international routes to Dubai, Bangkok, Sharjah, London Heathrow, and Montreal. These cancellations, reported across Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and New Delhi, highlight how operational issues can quickly ripple through a tightly interconnected aviation system.
The disruptions involved regional, domestic trunk, and long-haul international flights, affecting a wide mix of passengers including business travelers, tourists, and those on intercontinental journeys.
Ahmedabad: Repeated Cancellations on Key Routes
At Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, airlines cancelled four departures across Friday and Saturday, impacting both early-morning and evening schedules. These Ahmedabad airport flight cancellations reduced connectivity to northern and eastern India.
Cancelled services included:
- Two Boeing 737-800 flights to Varanasi on consecutive evenings
- One Boeing 737-800 morning departure to Kolkata
- One early morning Boeing 737-800 flight to New Delhi
The repeat cancellation of the Varanasi service across two days intensified disruption for passengers relying on limited alternate options.
Kolkata: East-to-South and Westbound Links Hit
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata recorded two cancellations on Saturday, affecting onward connections to major hubs.
Grounded flights included:
- A Boeing 737 MAX 8 service to Bengaluru
- A Boeing 737-800 flight to Ahmedabad
With both southern and western routes affected, travelers faced longer rerouting times and tighter seat availability.
Bengaluru: Trunk Route Disruption
Bengaluru International Airport saw one significant cancellation on Friday morning when a Boeing 737 MAX 8 flight to New Delhi was withdrawn. This route is among the busiest in the country, and even a single cancellation can trigger broader domestic flight disruptions India continues to experience during high-demand periods.
Mumbai: The Highest Concentration of Cancellations
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport recorded the largest number of cancellations at a single location. Five departures were cancelled between Thursday night and Friday, affecting regional, domestic, and international services. These Mumbai airport cancelled flights placed additional strain on an already congested hub.
Cancelled departures included:
- Boeing 737-800 flights to Varanasi
- A De Havilland Dash 8-400 service to Kandla
- A Boeing 737 MAX 8 international flight to Dubai
- A midnight Boeing 737 MAX 8 service to New Delhi
- A late-night Boeing 737 MAX 8 departure to Ahmedabad
The range of aircraft types and destinations points to broader operational challenges rather than an isolated issue.
New Delhi: Domestic and Long-Haul Impact
Indira Gandhi International Airport experienced the widest spread of disruptions, with six cancellations covering domestic, regional international, and long-haul routes. These Delhi airport international cancellations had a particularly strong impact on overseas travelers.
Affected departures included:
- Airbus A320 flights to Bangkok and Sharjah
- Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737 MAX 8 services to Srinagar and Pune
- An Airbus A350-1000 long-haul flight to London Heathrow
- A Boeing 787-9 service to Montreal
The cancellation of intercontinental flights significantly raised rebooking challenges due to limited alternative capacity.
Summary Table of All Cancellations
| Departure Airport | Destination | Aircraft Type |
|---|---|---|
| Ahmedabad | Varanasi | B738 |
| Ahmedabad | Varanasi | B738 |
| Ahmedabad | Kolkata | B738 |
| Ahmedabad | New Delhi | B738 |
| Kolkata | Bengaluru | B38M |
| Kolkata | Ahmedabad | B738 |
| Bengaluru | New Delhi | B38M |
| Mumbai | Varanasi | B738 |
| Mumbai | Kandla | DH8D |
| Mumbai | Dubai | B38M |
| Mumbai | New Delhi | B38M |
| Mumbai | Ahmedabad | B38M |
| New Delhi | Bangkok | A320 |
| New Delhi | Sharjah | A320 |
| New Delhi | Srinagar | B738 |
| New Delhi | Pune | B38M |
| New Delhi | London Heathrow | A35K |
| New Delhi | Montreal | B789 |
Impact on Passengers and the Wider Network
For passengers, these flight cancellations in India translated into missed connections, longer travel times, and limited rebooking options, particularly on long-haul routes. The simultaneous disruption of domestic and international services shows how airline route cancellations can quickly affect the wider network when capacity is already tight.
Travelers on high-demand corridors such as MumbaiβDelhi and BengaluruβDelhi were especially exposed, while those booked on international flights faced additional complications due to visa rules, onward connections, and fewer replacement flights.
Looking Ahead
The scale and geographic spread of these cancellations underline the operational pressures facing airlines during peak periods. As demand remains strong, maintaining schedule reliability will be critical to passenger confidence. Until systemic challenges ease, flight cancellations in India are likely to remain a key issue for both airlines and travelers navigating an increasingly complex air travel landscape.
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