IndiGo cancelled more than 100 flights and delayed dozens more on Wednesday as India’s largest airline faced major operational disruption triggered primarily by an acute crew shortage.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said it has begun investigating the widespread cancellations and delays, directing IndiGo to explain the reasons behind the breakdown and submit a mitigation plan to stabilise operations.
Airports across major cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, saw chaos as passengers struggled with last-minute cancellations and long delays. According to sources, Bengaluru saw 42 cancellations, Delhi 38, Mumbai 33 and Hyderabad 19.
IndiGo said a “multitude of unforeseen operational challenges” over the past two days—ranging from minor tech glitches and winter schedule adjustments to adverse weather, aviation congestion and new crew duty norms—had severely impacted its network. The airline apologised to passengers and said all affected customers were being offered alternative travel options or refunds.
A source told PTI that the implementation of the second phase of revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) has deepened the crew shortage, sharply increasing cancellations and delays across airports.
Social media was flooded with videos of angry passengers confronting IndiGo staff. The airline, known for its punctuality, recorded an On-Time Performance (OTP) of just 35% on December 2.
DGCA data shows IndiGo cancelled 1,232 flights in November alone, with 755 cancellations directly linked to crew and FDTL constraints.
The updated FDTL norms — including increased weekly rest periods and a cap of two night landings instead of six — took effect in phases from July, with the crucial second phase implemented on November 1 after Delhi High Court directives.
IndiGo said it has initiated “calibrated adjustments” to its schedule for the next 48 hours to stabilise operations.
Meanwhile, pilot unions have criticised IndiGo’s resource planning. The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA) said the disruption indicates poor manpower forecasting and claimed that there could also be an effort to pressurise regulator DGCA to dilute the new flight duty time limitation norms. The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) echoed this, calling IndiGo’s staffing approach “lean and unorthodox”.
As of December 2, IndiGo had 416 aircraft, with 366 in operation and 50 grounded, according to Planespotters data.
FIP urged DGCA to reallocate flight slots to airlines like Air India and Akasa Air if IndiGo continues to struggle during the peak holiday and fog season.
