ALBAWABA- India’s largest airline, IndiGo, scrapped more than 400 flights on Friday, deepening a week-long operational crisis that has disrupted travel for tens of thousands and drawn heightened scrutiny from regulators.
Delhi airport alone logged over 220 cancellations and delays, while Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune reported severe knock-on disruptions.
IndiGo, holder of over 60% of India’s domestic aviation market, blamed the collapse on “unforeseen operational challenges,” chiefly an acute pilot shortage triggered by new flight duty time limitation (FDTL) rules that took effect this month.
The regulations expand mandatory rest periods, extend defined night-duty hours, and cap total monthly flight time, reducing pilot availability by up to 20% in an already tight roster.
Cabin-crew shortages and air-traffic constraints added to the strain, pushing IndiGo’s on-time performance to just 8.5% as of December 4. The airline has cancelled more than 1,232 flights in the past week and will cut additional services from December 8, aiming to restore schedules by February 10, 2026 fully.
Chaos unfolded across major hubs, with passengers facing hours-long queues, frayed tempers, and diverted flights, such as a Nagpur–Pune service rerouted to Hyderabad after the crew exceeded duty limits. Social media is filled with complaints over inadequate accommodation and meal support.
IndiGo apologised and offered refunds or rebookings, but the Directorate General of Civil Aviation ordered stronger passenger assistance, including lounge access and re-accommodation on other carriers. Shares of InterGlobe Aviation, IndiGo’s parent company, slipped 1% amid the fallout.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjaparu met IndiGo executives on Friday, expressing “displeasure” with the airline’s handling of the crisis and urging it not to raise fares during the recovery period.
The DGCA, which is investigating the “unusually high” volume of cancellations, rejected IndiGo’s request for exemptions from night-duty rules but granted limited temporary roster adjustments.
