New Delhi — IndiGo, India’s largest domestic airline, has cancelled over 200 flights and delayed hundreds more in the past two days, leaving thousands of travellers stranded at major airports across the country.
What Happened
- According to the airline and government data, as of Wednesday afternoon, nearly 200 flights were cancelled nationwide.
- In November alone, a total of 1,232 flights operated by IndiGo were cancelled — with 755 cancellations attributed to crew shortages and compliance with new duty rules.
- On-time performance dropped sharply: only about 35% of IndiGo’s over 2,200 daily flights were on schedule.
Why It Happened
- The primary reason cited is an acute shortage of pilots and cabin crew, exacerbated by recently implemented stricter rest- and duty-time regulations under the new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms that came into force in November 2025.
- Additional contributing factors include technical glitches at certain airports, check-in system failures, airport congestion, and operational constraints due to overlapping delays.
Impact on Passengers
- Many travellers were stuck at airports for several hours — some reportedly waiting 7 to 12 hours for updates or rebooking.
- There are widespread reports of lost or delayed baggage and lack of proper communication or support from airline staff and airport authorities.
- Airports like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad faced long queues, abrupt gate changes, and manual check-ins following system failures.
What the Airline Says
In a statement, IndiGo acknowledged the disruptions and described them as a result of “unforeseen operational challenges,” including crew shortages, technical issues, and airport congestion. The airline said it is working diligently to normalise operations over the next 48 hours.
Affected passengers are reportedly being offered full refunds or alternate flights, in line with the airline’s compensation policy.
Wider Implications
A spokesperson for the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the regulator has asked IndiGo to present a detailed report explaining the cancellations and to outline corrective measures to prevent further disruption.
This incident has renewed questions about the resilience of India’s rapidly expanding aviation sector — especially when new safety or labour regulations are rolled out during peak travel season.
