Passengers switch to rail as flight cancellations spike

As large-scale flight disruptions triggered uncertainty and long delays across major airports, many passengers chose to change their plans even before getting caught in the chaos. Priyanka Gupta, an IT professional from Delhi, was among them. She cancelled her flight well in advance to ensure she didn’t miss her cousin sister's wedding in Kolkata. “I booked tickets in premium tatkal from Delhi to Kolkata, as the wedding was very important for me and I couldn’t risk it,” she said.

To absorb the sudden spike in demand from flyers seeking alternatives, Indian Railways has introduced 89 special trains over a three-day period. Together, these services will make more than 100 trips between December 6 and December 9 across multiple railway zones, offering crucial relief to stranded and anxious travellers. Explaining her proactive decision, Priyanka added, “Our friends were stranded for eight hours and couldn’t reach the event on time. To fear that, I think it’s better looking for alternate means of transport, hence I took this decision.” “With so many flights getting cancelled, I didn’t want to take a chance. I shifted to train travel even though the journey is longer. At least I knew I would reach Pune on time,” said Soumen, who travelled back from Howrah.




Get an chance to win ₹5000 Amazon Voucher by taking part in India's Biggest Habit Index! Take the survey here