'Rs 200 coffee, Rs 20,000 tickets': Gaurav Gogoi calls out Modi's airline promise as IndiGo cancels dozens of flights

Assam Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi, on December 5, criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aviation sector promises, claiming the government has failed to deliver affordable air travel despite repeated assurances.

"PM Modi promised that people who can only afford a pair of slippers will start travelling on airlines," Gogoi stated on December 5. However, instead of accessible travel, passengers now face "airports that charge Rs 200 for coffee, tickets that cost Rs 20,000 and flights that are either delayed or cancelled," he added.

The MP's criticism comes as IndiGo disrupted travel plans for hundreds of passengers on December 5, with multiple flight cancellations reported across its domestic network. The airline, which commands roughly 63 per cent of India's aviation market, faced passenger fury as cancellations hit major routes throughout the day.

Stranded travellers took to social media to vent their frustration, with many reporting last-minute cancellations and inadequate rebooking options. Several passengers at Delhi and Mumbai airports complained of long queues at customer service counters and limited communication from airline staff about alternative arrangements.

The disruptions on December 5 add to a troubling pattern for IndiGo, which has struggled with operational challenges in recent weeks. The carrier has attributed delays and cancellations to various factors, including air traffic congestion, crew availability issues and technical glitches.

Gogoi took an unusual jab at Air India, suggesting the dire state of competition has made the Tata-owned airline "come out looking good" by comparison. The Congress MP blamed government policy for allowing monopolistic practices to flourish. "We need competition in our markets, not monopolies. The failure of monopoly is as much on government policy or the lack of, as it is on the market player," he argued.