Despite heavy investments in fleet expansion and operations, India's aviation industry continues to face persistent service issues, flight delays, and cancellations, a recent survey by LocalCircles has revealed. The survey found that 61% of Indian flyers experienced at least one cancellation or rescheduling due to internal airline reasons in the past year.

What’s worse, passengers received no compensation for these disruptions, even as airlines imposed penalties of 50-100% on self-cancellations. While these figures mark a slight improvement from the 74% reported in the previous year, service quality issues remain a pressing concern.

IndiGo Leads in Cancellations While Akasa Air Tops Punctuality Charts

Government data from January 2022 to September 2024 revealed that over 25,500 flights were cancelled, affecting 10.76 lakh passengers. Among these, IndiGo accounted for 15,464 cancellations (60.53%), making it the worst-performing airline in this category.

Other airlines with high cancellation numbers included:

• Alliance Air: 2,707 cancellations

• Air India: 1,934 cancellations

• SpiceJet: 1,731 cancellations

Meanwhile, Akasa Air emerged as the most punctual airline in 2024, achieving an on-time performance (OTP) of 74%, while IndiGo’s OTP declined significantly.

No Compensation Despite Passenger Hardships

One of the most alarming findings from the report is that IndiGo paid just ₹18,000 in compensation over three years, despite flight cancellations affecting over 5.47 lakh passengers. This has raised concerns over airline accountability and passenger rights in India.

The survey also highlighted how:

• 22% of passengers struggled to get refunds when airlines cancelled their flights.

• No airlines offered compensation for service disruptions, even as penalties for self-cancellations remained high.

Weather and Technical Issues Among Top Causes for Cancellations

According to Civil Aviation Minister Murlidhar Mohol, 41.56% of flight cancellations were attributed to weather conditions, while technical, commercial, and operational reasons accounted for the rest. However, passengers argue that airlines frequently cite "operational issues" without providing clear explanations or adequate assistance.

Passenger Rights and the Need for Regulatory Changes

With millions of Indian travelers affected, aviation experts and consumer rights groups are calling for stronger passenger protection laws. Key demands include:

• Mandatory compensation for airline-initiated cancellations and delays.

• Transparent policies for refund and rescheduling.

• Stricter monitoring of airlines’ on-time performance and service quality.

The Road Ahead: Can Indian Aviation Improve?

India’s aviation sector is booming with increasing demand, but service quality remains a major hurdle. While airlines are expanding their fleets and investing in infrastructure, ensuring reliable and customer-friendly operations is critical. Without policy reforms and better accountability, passenger dissatisfaction is likely to rise, potentially impacting the industry's long-term growth.

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