Flight, train tickets to Mumbai cancelled

Some of the bigger airlines decided to waive the cancellation fee, which varies between Rs 350 to Rs 750.

No flight or train, however, was cancelled, though some flights were late.

The Air India flight to Mumbai scheduled for 12.15 pm was an hour late, and Jet Airways flight scheduled to take-off at 1:30 pm was late as well.

A customer service executive of Air India said there were 13 people who had booked seats from Lucknow to Mumbai, but nine cancelled their tickets.

“We have had around 10 cancellations — cutting across Indian Airlines, Jet Airways and Kingfisher,” said Ajay Kumar Singh, the owner of Samar Travel Agency.

Another agency, which had planned a special

tour package from Lucknow to Ahmadabad through Mumbai, was forced to book direct tickets for Ahmadabad.

“Some foreigners had booked themselves for our package as well, but all of them cancelled, asking for a direct flight to Ahmadabad instead. We hope the situation does not get worse,” said Yasir Shah, an agent with Tour and Travel.

Though the Railways did not waive cancellation fees, around 80 reserved seats were cancelled in the Mumbai-bound trains.

“A majority of these cancellations are for the Pushpak Express. For the next few days, there have been around 30 per cent decline in booking for unreserved seats,” said Indu Rani Dubey, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager, North-Eastern Railways.

The Railways, meanwhile, kept a special check on all trains to and from Mumbai.

KN Singh, Superintendent of Police, Government Railway Police, said: “We have formed at least nine teams, which includes plainclothes men as well.”