New Delhi: One of India’s largest airlines, IndiGo, has entered its third consecutive day of severe operational disruption, forcing reportedly more than 550 cancellations on Thursday (December 4) alone, including 172 scrapped at Delhi airport.
Hundreds more were delayed across major metro cities, leading to chaos among passengers and sharp regulatory scrutiny of the airline. As per reports, all IndiGo domestic flights departing from Delhi Airport on December 5, have also been cancelled till midnight today.
In 10 key points, here's what has happened so far:
1. IndiGo Issues Public Apology
IndiGo issued a public apology on Thursday, acknowledging that its network had experienced widespread disruption over the past two days. The airline said it extended a heartfelt apology to passengers, regulators and industry stakeholders who were inconvenienced by the cancellations and delays.
It added that teams were working with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, DGCA, BCAS, AAI and airport operators to minimise the cascading impact of delays and restore normalcy. IndiGo also advised passengers to check the latest flight status before travelling to the airport.
2. Punctuality Collapses to 19.7 Percent
Normally operating around 2,300 flights a day, IndiGo’s hallmark on-time performance plunged to 19.7 percent on Wednesday, down from 35 percent a day earlier, becoming one of its steepest declines recorded by the carrier.
Airports across the country reported large-scale cancellations:
Mumbai: 118
Bengaluru: 100
Hyderabad: 75
Kolkata: 35
Chennai: 26
Goa: 11
3. DGCA Hauls Up IndiGo, Cites 'Serious Planning Gaps'
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the airline is cancelling 170–200 flights a day, far above normal levels. After an emergency review with the Civil Aviation Minister, the regulator flagged major misjudgements in crew planning during the rollout of the Phase-2 Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) norms.
IndiGo has been directed to:
Normalise operations immediately
Prevent airfare spikes
Improve airport staffing, after DGCA inspections found overwhelmed counters and inadequate passenger assistance
4. Airline Admits Miscalculation, Seeks Temporary Relaxations
IndiGo told the regulator its network has been crippled by “transition challenges” in crew rostering under the revised FDTL norms, which increase pilot rest hours and limit consecutive night operations.
The airline has requested temporary exemptions from certain night-duty provisions for A320 operations until February 10, 2026, but the DGCA has not granted approval yet.
IndiGo has committed to:
Cutting flights from December 8
Fully stabilising operations by February 10, 2026
5. Passenger Chaos at Airports
Scenes of frustration played out at airports nationwide. Crowded gates, long queues, families sleeping on the floor, and stranded travellers demanding clarity became a common sight over the past three days.
Kolkata alone saw over 170 delays and 21 cancellations in 24 hours, while Bengaluru logged 136 cancellations across two days.
At Hyderabad, stranded passengers staged marches and confronted airline staff. Goa airport reported 13-hour delays with no food provision, prompting angry posts online.
6. Bomb Threats Add to Crisis
Amid the operational meltdown, two IndiGo flights: Madinah–Hyderabad and Sharjah–Hyderabad, received bomb threats, forcing emergency landings in Ahmedabad and Hyderabad. Both aircraft were secured after full protocol checks.
7. Civil Aviation Minister Expresses Displeasure
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the airline had “ample preparation time” for the FDTL transition but failed to plan adequately. He warned that the ministry will closely monitor IndiGo until flight operations stabilise.
8. Pilot Bodies Accuse Airlines of Creating 'Artificial Crisis'
Pilot unions claimed airlines are attempting to create pressure on the regulator by exaggerating crew shortages following the new duty-time rules. They alleged IndiGo adopted a lean hiring strategy despite a two-year notice period for the revised norms.
9. Passenger Assistance Protocols Under Review
The disruption has led to a review of passenger assistance protocols across major airports. Civil aviation officials are assessing whether existing guidelines on food, accommodation and rebooking were adequately followed during the crisis.
Early observations indicate gaps in communication and crowd management, particularly at metro airports, which may result in revised obligations for airlines during operational breakdowns.
10. Operational Ripple Effect Across Aviation Ecosystem
IndiGo’s extended disruption has created a backlog that is now affecting ground handlers, air traffic slots and turnaround schedules at congested airports. Delays in aircraft rotation have caused congestion on taxiways during peak hours.
Aviation officials said the scale of IndiGo’s network meant that a prolonged breakdown could temporarily strain airport resources and impact punctuality figures across the wider civil aviation sector.
