Nationwide Travel Chaos As IndiGo Cancels 200+ Flights; Normalcy Expected Only By Friday

Thousands of passengers were left stranded across airports nationwide as IndiGo cancelled and delayed more than 200 flights on Wednesday, owing to a mix of technical failures, scheduling disruptions and adverse weather conditions. Officials estimate that operations will return to normal only by Friday.

Technical Glitch Forces Manual Check-Ins Across Airlines

Indian airlines experienced severe delays across major airports due to a suspected technical failure in check-in systems. Ground staff at several carriers were forced to switch to manual check-ins, triggering long queues and congestion.

While Air India resolved the issue and stabilised operations by late Tuesday evening, IndiGo continued to struggle, cancelling over 200 flights on Wednesday and around 130 flights on Tuesday.

IndiGo’s Market Dominance Amplifies Disruptions

The ripple effect was severe as IndiGo, the largest domestic carrier with a 62% market share and 2,100+ daily flights, saw its operational delays impact air travel across major hubs including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation reported that IndiGo’s on-time performance crashed to 35% on Tuesday, compared to Air India’s 67.2%, Air India Express’ 79.5%, and Akasa Air’s 73.20%.

Pilot Shortage and New FDTL Norms Add On-Field Stress

Industry sources said the crisis was worsened by an acute shortage of pilots and cabin crew, further strained by the implementation of the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms from November 1, which mandate longer rest periods and stricter duty-hour rules.

IndiGo Cites Operational Challenges; Makes Schedule Adjustments

IndiGo attributed the disruptions to a combination of FDTL-related constraints, technical glitches, schedule realignments and weather-related issues.

The airline said it has initiated calibrated schedule adjustments for the next 48 hours to help restore punctuality.

“Our teams are working around the clock to ease customer discomfort and ensure operations stabilise as quickly as possible. Affected customers are being offered alternate travel options or refunds,” an IndiGo spokesperson said.

Chaos at Mumbai Airport as Passengers Face Long Delays

At Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, long queues formed as passengers sought clarity and assistance.
According to Flightradar24, the airport’s disruption index rose to 4.4, signalling major operational issues, with the average delay touching 50 minutes.

Many frustrated passengers took to social media to complain about poor communication, with some reporting delays stretching up to seven hours.

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