Delhi-Halwara Flight Cancelled for Third Time in Six Days, Stranding 102 Passengers

Air travel services launched from Halwara International Airport are becoming a growing source of inconvenience for commuters. On Saturday, the Delhi-Halwara-Delhi flight service was cancelled once again, leaving 102 passengers stranded and facing severe hardship. Notably, this marks the third such disruption on this route within six days, following previous cancellations on September 7 and September 9. According to reports, Air India flight AI-481 originating from Delhi failed to arrive at Halwara Airport. The same aircraft was scheduled to operate as flight AI-482 for the return journey from Halwara to Delhi. Early in the morning, passengers who arrived at the airport carrying heavy luggage were forced to turn back upon learning about the cancellation. The disruption severely impacted 65 passengers who had booked connecting international flights out of Delhi, including several families traveling with young children. Affected travelers reported that they did not receive timely notification regarding the flight's cancellation. However, Air India representatives stated that passengers were informed via email early in the morning at around 3:30 AM. While a few passengers attempted to secure seats on an afternoon flight, the majority were forced to travel to Delhi by road. Taking advantage of the sudden surge in demand, local taxi operators raised their rates significantly. Passengers shared that cab drivers operating from Halwara and Sudhar demanded between Rs 10,000 and Rs 12,000 for a one-way trip to Delhi, compared to the standard fare of approximately Rs 5,000 to Rs 5,500. Officials noted that operational reliance on a single aircraft for both incoming and outgoing journeys has led to recurring disruptions on this sector.