Passengers were left stranded at an airport after they were sold tickets for a flight that didn't exist, reports say

• Passengers were able to buy tickets for a flight that didn't exist due to a ticketing mixup.
• They were told at the airport that the airline had stopped serving the route, per the Times of India.

A number of airline passengers were left stranded at an Indian airport after they were sold tickets for a flight that didn't exist, according to reports.

The passengers only found out that their Go First flight between Hyderabad and New Delhi was no longer running after they arrived at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport on October 31, the Times of India (TOI) reported.

The airline had stopped operating on the route about a month prior, per TOI.

Despite having valid Passenger Name Record (PNR) numbers that should have enabled them to check in for the flight, airport staff refused to let the travelers board. The staff then told them that the flight no longer existed, TOI reported.

Go First, an Indian budget carrier, stopped operating the route on October 1. However, passengers were still able to purchase tickets through third-party ticket website Happyfares up until at least October 27, per TOI.

The affected passengers purchased the tickets through a third-party ticket site Happyfares, the outlet reported. Happyfares had been sold the tickets by a sub-agent for the airline called Goflysmart.

A representative from Goflysmart told the TOI that the airline sent an email on October 26 informing that the flight had changed. However, this was not updated on Happyfares, per industry publication Simple Flying. Go First also continued to list the PNR on its website, per TOI.

After finding out about their flight, some passengers had to pay double for a spot ticket, per the Times of India. Others have called for the country's aviation authority to take action against the airline.

Passenger Ram Kumar Thota told the TOI that the airline should pay a heavy penalty "for putting us through such physical and mental agony." Thota said they were still awaiting a response from the airline.

Neither Go First, Happyfares nor Goflysmart immediately responded to Insider's request for further comment, which came outside of standard business hours.