IndiGo, India’s largest domestic carrier, continues to be hit by a severe operational meltdown as of Friday, with over 550 cancelled domestic and international flights, leading to nationwide chaos and leaving thousands of passengers stranded during the peak travel season. The unprecedented disruption, which followed several days of mass delays and cancellations, has been primarily attributed to acute crew shortages exacerbated by the full implementation of new aviation safety regulations.
The cancellations severely impacted major aviation hubs, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, where long queues, lost luggage, and angry scenes were reported at check-in counters. IndiGo’s on-time performance (OTP) plummeted drastically, underscoring the severity of the crisis for an airline that built its reputation on punctuality.
Major airports affected included Mumbai (85 flights), Bengaluru (73), Hyderabad (68), Chennai (31), and Delhi (30). The root cause of the chaos is the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) updated Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms, which came into full effect on November 1. These revised rules mandate increased weekly rest periods for pilots and restrict the number of landings a pilot can perform during “red-eye” hours (midnight to 6 a.m.)—measures designed to combat pilot fatigue and enhance flight safety.
IndiGo, known for its high aircraft and crew utilisation model, admitted to the DGCA that it had underestimated its pilot requirements, citing “misjudgement and planning gaps” in the transition.
In response to the escalating crisis, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu met with the airline’s senior management, expressing “clear displeasure” over the handling of the situation.
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers issued an apology, acknowledging the airline had “not lived up to the promise” of satisfactory customer experience and cited a “multitude of unforeseen operational challenges” beyond the FDTL rules.To regain stability, the airline has informed the regulator it will execute calibrated schedule adjustments and curtail flight operations starting from December 8.
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers
IndiGo has also sought a temporary exemption from certain night flying restrictions. However, the path to recovery is lengthy, with the airline forecasting that stable operations will only be fully restored by February 10, 2026. Meanwhile, affected passengers are being offered alternative flights or refunds as the regulatory body monitors the situation closely.
