BENGALURU: An atmosphere of uncertainty prevailed at the Kempegowda International Airport(KIA) on Sunday after nearly 40 flights were cancelled due to airspace restrictions following the war in West Asia.
A total of 18 arrivals and 19 departures were called off on March 1, causing inconvenience to those travelling to or via Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Dubai and Doha.
Passengers alleged they were left stranded without accommodation, compensation or clear communication from airlines.
Devi Kaasirajan, travelling from Madurai to London via Bengaluru, said she and her husband learnt about the cancellation only after landing in Bengaluru. “We drove from Dindigul to Trichy, flew to Bengaluru, and only then found out that our flight was cancelled,” she said.
“The airline said the cancellation was because of airspace closure, so we are not entitled to compensation. They’ve assured us that once the airspace opens, we can contact the call centre and be put on the next available flight at the same fare.
But what if the next seat is two or three weeks later,” she asked. “There’s zero compensation; no hotel stay, nothing. We’re left on our own. At the very least, there should be empathy and customer service,” she complained.
Aditi Ganapathy, a university student travelling to the UK with her family after visiting relatives in Navi Mumbai, echoed similar concerns. “Bengaluru was just our layover.
We were told our connecting flight was cancelled, and the communication has been terrible. They won’t inform us about the next flight. We have been asked to watch the news for further information. There’s no timeline, no clarity,” she added.
Ahan Anand, a Grade 9 student, said he will miss school as classes resume in London on Monday. With no definite departure schedule, many families continue to wait anxiously at the airport, hoping for clarity amid the disruption.