PM Narendra Modi felicitates children who have won National Bravery Awards 2015

As IndiGo’s widespread flight cancellations and delays entered their third consecutive day, the chaos spilled over into India’s private aviation sector, creating an unprecedented surge in demand for charter and business jets. Operators across the country are reporting their highest enquiry volumes in years, with Hyderabad emerging as one of the busiest hubs. Since December 4, stranded passengers — including business professionals, families, and frequent travellers — have been turning to private charters as a last-minute solution. Pune-based Nibe Aeronautics Limited recorded an extraordinary fivefold spike in enquiries within just 48 hours. Sourabh Jangid, the company’s Accountable Manager, said that on a regular day they receive around 10 enquiries, but the number has now reached 50, with Hyderabad alone contributing nearly a quarter. Mumbai and Ahmedabad are also witnessing heavy activity.

Actual charter movements have tripled, with the company now flying 6 to 7 charters a day, amounting to nearly 14 flights, compared to the usual 2 or 3. All three of their aircraft are operating at full capacity, while additional demand is being met through partner operators. Some passengers even booked emergency charters to Ayodhya after commercial flight disruptions threatened to derail their planned ceremonial visit, and medical emergency charter requests have also increased.

Delhi-based Arrow Charters reported a similar pattern, with Managing Director Shailendra Singh stating that even empty-leg flights are being snapped up instantly. Once availability is posted in aviation groups, return flights are booked within minutes. The company has doubled its deployments, using both jets and helicopters to cope with the surge.

The sharp rise in domestic airfares has further pushed travellers toward private charters. Fares on major routes have skyrocketed — Hyderabad to Delhi increased from ₹22,000 to nearly ₹50,000; Delhi to Bengaluru rose from ₹36,000 to over ₹56,000; and Bengaluru to Mumbai touched ₹45,000. A last-minute Air India economy ticket from Hyderabad to Bhopal even crossed ₹1 lakh. Many travellers are now requesting immediate “go-now” departures, with some even willing to pay for two to three hours of ferry time to bring an aircraft from Mumbai just to avoid further delays.