IndiGo, India’s largest airline, is dealing with one of its biggest operational breakdowns in recent months. Flights across major airports, including Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Hyderabad, have been delayed or cancelled, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.
The airline says a mix of technology issues, crew shortages and new regulatory rules on rostering have pushed its operations off track. As complaints pile up, the aviation regulator DGCA has stepped in to investigate and demand a clear recovery plan.
Here’s a detailed look at what led to the chaos.
1. Major Airports Affected Across India
Cities like Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kolkata saw a wave of IndiGo cancellations and delays.
In Hyderabad alone, more than 40 flights were cancelled on Wednesday, while Kolkata saw both legs of at least 10 flights scrapped.
2. Bengaluru Airport Hit Hard
Kempegowda International Airport reported more than 42 IndiGo arrivals and departures being cancelled, adding to long waiting hours and passenger frustration.
3. Passengers Left Stranded for Hours
Travellers posted videos and complaints online, saying they were not informed about delays in advance. Many said they missed important meetings, family events or connecting flights.
4. IndiGo Issues Official Apology
The airline acknowledged that operations have been “significantly disrupted” for the past two days.
It apologized to customers and said it is working to stabilise flights as quickly as possible.
5. Disruptions May Continue for 48 Hours
IndiGo said it has made temporary adjustments to its schedule to contain the crisis.
According to the airline, the impact may continue for up to the next two days as they work to restore normal operations.
6. DGCA Launches a Probe
India’s aviation watchdog has asked IndiGo to appear before its headquarters.
The DGCA wants a full explanation of what caused the disruption and a detailed plan to prevent further delays.
7. Crew Shortage a Major Factor
IndiGo cited updated Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules as a key reason.
Under the new guidelines, pilots and cabin crew must follow stricter rest hours, leaving the airline with fewer available staff on short notice.
8. New Rostering Rules Reduce Flexibility
The updated FDTL norms mean crew cannot be assigned last-minute duties as easily as before.
This has forced IndiGo to cancel flights when reserve crew cannot legally operate under the new restrictions.
9. Multiple Operational Issues Combined
IndiGo stated that the chaos wasn’t due to a single reason.
It listed several contributing factors:
• Minor tech glitches
• Weather disruptions
• Winter schedule adjustments
• Air traffic congestion
• Crew availability shortage
Together, these issues created a snowball effect.
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10. On-Time Performance Drops Sharply
IndiGo cancelled 1,232 flights in November, even before the current chaos began.
Its punctuality fell to 67.7% in November, down from 84.1% in October.
On December 2, the airline managed only 35% on-time departures.
What Happens Next?
With DGCA monitoring closely and IndiGo working to stabilise operations, passengers are hoping for quick relief.
The airline says its teams are working round the clock to reduce the backlog and bring schedules back to normal.
Until then, travellers may continue to experience delays and last-minute cancellations.
