Flight cancellations leave 30 Hyderabad tourists marooned in Leh

A group of 30 tourists from Hyderabad, including senior citizens, has been stranded in Ladakh due to flight cancellations caused by inclement weather.

The group, which left Hyderabad on August 20, was scheduled to return on August 27. However, their travel plans were disrupted, and they now face an extended stay until at least August 31.

Leh airport is reportedly crowded with both Indian and foreign tourists seeking a way out. The airport has been closed for multiple days due to mud accumulation on the runway and taxiways and the region is said to be experiencing unusually early winter conditions.

“After a day of climate acclimatisation at the hotel, we visited several landmarks en route to Pangong via the Wari La Pass. But snowfall and rain soon began. With freezing temperatures and high-altitude sickness setting in, it has become especially challenging for senior citizens,” said Prashanth, a tourist, speaking over the phone from their hotel in Leh.

Although the group is staying in relatively comfortable rooms about 2 km from the Leh airport — which has been shut for the past few days — their ordeal is compounded by erratic power supply, expensive oxygen cylinders, and unreliable mobile and internet connectivity.

“The oxygen cylinders provided by our tour operator have run out, and each new one costs around ₹3,500. Senior citizens need them occasionally. The hotel staff is doing its best to keep us comfortable with hot food, but it turns cold within minutes. Heaters can’t be used in the hotel as they may reduce oxygen levels further. We’re desperate to get out,” said Srikanth, another tourist.

The group narrowly escaped a landslide on their return to Leh during a snowstorm. “Temperatures have dropped to two degrees Celsius, and we’re confined to the hotel—not just due to the weather, but also because of the volatile political situation here,” added Ravikanth, another member of the group.

The stranded Hyderabad group expressed concern over the lack of support from the private airline they booked with and is appealing for immediate evacuation, possibly via a special flight, before health issues worsen due to fatigue and altitude-related complications.