Indian airports descended into severe chaos on Friday for the fourth straight day, as IndiGo cancelled more than 1,000 flights due to an acute pilot shortage triggered by stricter Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) announced late Friday that the new rules were being put in abeyance immediately, sparking outrage from pilots’ associations, which called the move a contempt of court.
IndiGo Meltdown Paralyses Travel Across India
The unprecedented operational collapse at IndiGo which commands over 60% of India’s domestic market stranded thousands of passengers, sent airfares soaring, and prompted a high-level inquiry ordered by the Centre.
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said the airline cancelled half its flights on Friday.
Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru airports saw massive crowds, protests, 12-hour waits, and passengers sleeping on luggage. Social media was flooded with visuals of overcrowded terminals and unattended baggage.
Airfares, Hotel Rates Skyrocket Amid Crisis
The cascading cancellations triggered a sharp fare surge. One-way Delhi–Bengaluru tickets for Friday and Saturday crossed ₹43,000, while hotel prices in major metros also shot up steeply.
Airline Admits to Planning Failure
IndiGo told DGCA and MoCA that the crisis stemmed from “misjudgment and planning gaps” in implementing Phase-II of the revised FDTL norms effective November 1.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu publicly expressed displeasure over the airline’s handling of the situation.
Regulatory U-turn: DGCA and MoCA Step In
On Friday, DGCA relaxed certain norms, including dropping the rule that weekly off cannot be substituted and granting night-duty relaxations to IndiGo.
Later in the day, MoCA announced the temporary suspension of FDTL rules entirely.
Kinjarapu said the rollback was necessary to protect passengers:
“Without compromising on safety, this decision has been taken solely in the interest of passengers who rely on timely air travel.”
Pilots’ Bodies Call Move Unsafe, Threaten Legal Action
Pilot unions condemned the government’s decision.
Captain Anil Rao, General Secretary of the Airline Pilots Association of India, told FPJ:
“These rules were amended only to enhance safety. Rolling them back makes us unsafe. This is clearly done to support airlines’ commercial interests. The ministry’s move is contempt of the Delhi High Court’s order.”
He confirmed that pilots’ bodies will approach court against the decision.
Centre Orders High-Level Inquiry
MoCA announced a comprehensive inquiry to determine accountability at IndiGo, fix systemic failures, and recommend safeguards to prevent similar disruptions.
Airlines have been directed to:
provide timely updates,
issue automatic refunds,
arrange hotel accommodation for stranded passengers,
prioritise support for senior citizens and differently-abled travellers.
MoCA expects stabilisation by Saturday and full restoration in three days.
24x7 Control Room Activated
A round-the-clock control room has been set up at 011-24610843, 011-24693963, 096503-91859 to monitor real-time developments and coordinate immediate corrective measures.
Aapada Mein Aavasar: Other Airlines Skyrocket Airfares Amid IndiGo's Fall
Airfares on major domestic sectors are witnessing an unbelievable surge in airfares, even after the civil aviation minister had asked the ministry to keep a check on airfares during current ongoing issues. All the airlines including Air India, SpiceJet and Akasa Air witnessed almost a 10x rise in airfares for the flights during the weekend. The economy class airfares went way above business class airfares during normal days.
Airfares Highest Ever On December 6 (Saturday)
Delhi-Mumbai : Rs.66,212
Delhi-Kolkata : Rs57,991
Delhi-Bengaluru : Rs92,687
Delhi-Hyderabad : Rs60,559
Delhi-Pune : Rs60,783
