Flight delays and cancellations across India entered a third day due to IndiGo’s operational crisis. This has caused a huge rise in demand for charter and business jets. Operators are overwhelmed with enquiries hitting levels never seen before. Charter service firms report a sharp increase in urgent and same-day requests since December 4. Sourabh Jangid, Accountable Manager at Pune’s Nibe Aeronautics Limited, said enquiries surged from about 10 per day to 50 within 48 hours. Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad see the most activity. Charter flights themselves have nearly tripled. Normally handling 2-3 charters daily, Nibe Aeronautics now operates 6-7 charters, up to 14 flights a day. Their three aircraft run at full capacity, with help from other operators. Most demand comes from corporate travellers, but families are also booking charters. One family flew from Delhi to Ayodhya in a charter after delays threatened their important wedding time. Others booked urgently for health reasons. Shailendra Singh, MD of Arrow Charters in Delhi, confirmed a rise in bookings, including empty legs which usually sell poorly. They now run 2-3 charters daily, often using helicopters and jets borrowed from others. Airfares soared on key routes: Hyderabad-Delhi fares jumped from ₹22,000 to ₹50,000; Delhi-Bengaluru from ₹36,000 to ₹56,000; and Bengaluru-Mumbai up to ₹45,000. An Air India ticket from Hyderabad to Bhopal hit ₹1.03 lakh. Demand is urgent. Jangid said passengers want immediate departure and pay extra to move jets from Mumbai to Delhi. Charter prices range from ₹2.5 lakh per hour for six-seaters to ₹4 lakh per hour for larger jets, excluding taxes and fees. The IndiGo crisis also creates logistic headaches. Crew movement is tough due to disrupted flights. In Pune airport, IndiGo planes occupy parking spots charter services need. Captain Balraj Bhullar from Hyderabad says demand will stay high until commercial flights stabilize. Social media groups overflow with charter requests. Though costly, charters are preferred by those valuing time. The sector’s capacity is limited by small aircraft seating (6-16 seats) and cannot absorb large sudden spikes in demand. Costs also rise when jets must be ferried from other cities.