IndiGo Flights Cancellation: India's largest airline, IndiGo, has been hit by widespread disruptions, with hundreds of flights cancelled daily across major airports like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. As of December 5, the fourth straight day of chaos, over 400 flights were scrapped today alone, stranding thousands of passengers and sparking outrage on social media and at terminals.
Meanwhile, as per the latest update, all IndiGo domestic flights departing from Delhi Airport on December 5 have been cancelled until midnight (23:59 hours).
Key Reasons for the Cancellations
Crew and Pilot Shortages Due to New Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) Rules: The main reason for the flight cancellations is crew shortages caused by the new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms.
Operational and Technical Glitches: IndiGo said small technical problems with its crew scheduling system became bigger due to the new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules. With more early-morning flights in the winter schedule, crew availability didn’t always match flight timings. Added to this, crowded airports and busy air traffic control in India have caused further delays, leading the airline to cancel some flights in advance.
Scale of the Disruptions
December 2 (Day 1): 200 cancellations; on-time performance at 35%.
December 3 (Day 2): 150+ cancellations (e.g., 62 in Bengaluru, 38 in Delhi).
December 4 (Day 3): 300–550 cancellations (e.g., 73 in Bengaluru, 95 in Delhi, 85 in Mumbai).
December 5 (Day 4): 400+ cancellations so far (e.g., all Delhi domestic departures until midnight, 104 in Mumbai, 102 in Bengaluru).
Government Response and IndiGo's Plan
DGCA Action: The aviation regulator is investigating IndiGo for service lapses and has asked the airline to provide daily updates. Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu criticized the airline’s handling of the situation and instructed that fares should not be increased during the recovery period.
IndiGo’s Steps: To fix the problem, IndiGo will reduce flights starting December 8 to manage crew schedules better, aiming to return to normal by February 10, 2026. The airline is also offering refunds, rebookings with fee waivers, and hotel or meal support for affected passengers.
Passenger Rights: Passengers are entitled to full refunds for cancelled flights, compensation for domestic delays over three hours, and free re-accommodation. Complaints can be submitted through IndiGo’s app or the DGCA portal.
