Operations at IndiGo, India’s largest airline, remain affected by cancellations and delays as the carrier addresses shortages in pilots and cabin crew. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation held meetings with airline executives on Thursday to review causes and mitigation steps. IndiGo informed regulators that full restoration of its schedule will occur by 10 February 2026, with reductions in flights planned from 8 December to limit further issues.
Disruptions began on Tuesday with over 150 flights cancelled across airports including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. By Thursday, the total reached more than 550 cancellations, according to airport data and airline statements. Passengers at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport waited in queues for rebooking after 73 departures were grounded. Similar scenes occurred at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, where 95 services – 48 outbound and 47 inbound – did not operate.
The airline attributes the problems to implementation of phase two of flight duty time limitations, introduced on 1 November 2025. These rules require 48 consecutive hours of weekly rest for crew and restrict night landings to two per pilot, down from six. IndiGo reported that its projections for crew needs fell short, particularly for night operations. Additional factors include technology issues, winter schedule adjustments, weather conditions and congestion in airspace.
In a statement to regulators, IndiGo requested exemptions from certain duty provisions for its A320 fleet until 10 February 2026. The carrier plans to adjust schedules over the next 48 hours and reduce frequencies from 8 December. Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu directed officials to monitor the network and ensure normalisation proceeds without delay.
Passenger complaints filled social media platforms on Thursday, with reports of waits exceeding 10 hours and limited support at counters. Some travellers booked alternatives on other airlines, where fares rose to €150-€200 for domestic routes typically priced at €50-€70. IndiGo offered refunds or rebookings to those impacted, along with apologies for the inconvenience.
The ministry noted that IndiGo’s on-time performance dropped to 19.7 per cent on Wednesday at six major airports, compared to 35 per cent the previous day. November saw 1,232 cancellations by the airline, 755 linked to crew constraints. Shares in parent company InterGlobe Aviation closed at ₹5,417.90 on the Bombay Stock Exchange, down 3 per cent.
Regulators plan to assess the exemption request and require weekly updates on progress. IndiGo operates over 2,200 flights daily and holds 60 per cent of the domestic market. The carrier expanded its winter schedule to 15,014 weekly departures without matching crew recruitment, sources said.
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers acknowledged the lapses in a message to staff, stating that the scale of the network amplified the effects. He committed to stabilisation in coming days. Federation of Indian Pilots president Captain CS Randhawa highlighted risks from over-reliance on night flights and urged balanced growth in training.
As of Friday morning, cancellations continued at rates of 170-200 per day, above normal levels. Airports advised passengers to check status via apps or websites before travel. The ministry emphasised that safety remains the priority, with no compromises on crew welfare.
Indigo shared in a written statement: The last two days have seen widespread disruption across IndiGo’s network and operations. We extend a heartfelt apology to all our customers and industry stakeholders who have been impacted by these events. IndiGo teams are working diligently and making all efforts with the support of MOCA, DGCA, BCAS, AAI and airport operators to reduce the cascading impact of these delays and restore normalcy.We continue to keep our customers apprised of any changes to their scheduled flights and advise them to check the latest status at https://www.goindigo.in/check-flight-status.html before heading to the airport. IndiGo deeply regrets the inconvenience caused and remains focussed on streamlining its operations at the earliest.
