Flight operations of Indian low-cost airline GoAir were affected for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, with 19 flights cancelled due to the ongoing protests against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) across the country. Around 18 domestic flights were cancelled on Monday, stranding several passengers.
Many passengers have complained that they were notified about the cancellation only an hour before the scheduled flight timing.
The GoAir authorities claimed that several factors, including the CAA protests, unfavourable weather, flight duty limitations of the crew and shortage of pilots and crew led to the unexpected cancellation of services. Services from cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Patna and Kochi were cancelled for the second consecutive day.
Several stranded passengers took to social media to bash GoAir for cancelling the flight operations without providing any alternatives. However, GoAir said: "Alternative flight arrangements are being explored to minimise the impact. Free cancellation and re-booking options have been offered to all the affected passengers."
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has also found that the airline breached Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) guidelines by making the pilots and crew work overtime. GoAir is accused of violating time limits prescribed under FDTL by the civil aviation body.
The DGCA has initiated a probe against the airlines for nearly 40 violations of norms. The flight crew was reportedly asked to work for four consecutive days without a break. The aviation analysts said that the airline authorities and crew members should be penalised for putting the passenger's lives in danger by flouting timeline.
