A newlywed couple from Karnataka had to attend their own reception virtually, reportedly after the IndiGo flight cancellations stopped them from reaching the venue.
Medha Kshirsagar of Hubballi and Sangama Das of Odisha’s Bhubaneswar, both techies, were supposed to reach the bride’s hometown on Wednesday for their reception after getting hitched on November 23, Sunday. They had booked their Bhubaneswar to Bengaluru flight tickets along with some of the groom's relatives. While they were set to travel at 9:00 AM on December 2, Tuesday, their flights were repeatedly delayed until early morning the next day before being eventually cancelled, News 18 said in a report.
This forced them to make a virtual appearance before the invited guests in Hubballi. The duo wore the special dress they had prepared for the event and interacted with the guests via a screen arranged in the hall. A photo of Medha Kshirsagar and Sangama Das interacting with the people at the hall was also shared by News 18. They apologised with folded hands before the guests before settling back to see the activities at the reception hall, a video shared on X showed.
The bride's parents graced the occasion at the scheduled reception venue—Hubballi's Gujarat Bhavan.
DGCA steps in
Aviation regulator DGCA's chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai on Friday requested the co-operation of all pilots to ensure smooth flight operations amid massive IndiGo flight disruptions. In an appeal, the Director General said that in light of the current IndiGo flight disruptions due to operational constraints, unpredictable weather patterns and rising seasonal demand, the aviation sector is experiencing significant strain.
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The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has decided to withdraw the provision 'no leave shall be substituted for weekly rest' from the FDTL norms, news agency PTI reported.
"In view of the ongoing operational disruptions and representations received from various airlines regarding the need to ensure continuity and stability of operations, it has been considered necessary to review the said provision," DGCA said in a communication dated December 5.
The gaps in planning ahead of the implementation of the revised FDTL, the second phase of which came into force from November 1, have resulted in crew shortage at IndiGo and is one of the key reasons for the current disruptions.