From Airbus to bus: Private operators hope to retain travellers as demand rises amid ongoing IndiGo fiasco

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Private bus operators and online ticketing platforms are hoping to retain more users as travellers stranded by the IndiGo flight cancellation fiasco seek out last-minute travel alternatives. From local travel companies to electric-bus startups, everyone is vying for a share of a market that has lit up like a Christmas tree.

Bookings at redBus, India's largest online bus ticketing platform, increased 17% from 5 to 8 December, following the flight cancellations during 1-4 December, the company told Mint in an emailed response. Bookings surged more than 30% across 70+ routes in Pune, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bangalore. Demand has risen on short-haul routes such as Mumbai-Ahmedabad, Chennai-Hyderabad and Vishakhapatnam-Hyderabad, where people generally prefer flights over buses.

There’s been a “steep jump" in demand in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, in particular, according to redBus, which is a part of Nasdaq-listed MakeMyTrip. Apart from bookings, search volumes for major metro-hub routes have climbed 36%, pointing to an even broader travel anxiety among users. While travel in December typically rises due to weddings and pilgrimages, the company said the airline chaos has “sharply amplified" demand, especially on inter-metro and business corridors.

The flight disruption at IndiGo, India’s largest airline, occurred after new rules came into effect, giving pilots and crews more rest. The airline did not have enough crew capacity to operate its packed winter schedule and the mismatch set off a wave of flight cancellations and delays starting 1 December, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at airports. IndiGo operated a fleet of 417 aircraft and served 94 domestic and 41 international