Watch: Delhi Passengers Applaud IndiGo Air Hostesses After Hours-Long Flight Delay

India's budget carrier IndiGo is facing one of the worst operational disruptions in recent memory. Over the past 48 hours, more than 200 flights have been cancelled or delayed across key cities, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and frustrated.  

The turmoil stems from a combination of factors. On top of that, the airline cited crew rostering issues, technical glitches, winter-weather disruption and airport congestion as contributing to the chaos.

But in the midst of all this, a moment of solidarity and relief went viral. At Delhi's airport, passengers, many of them tired after hours-long wait and ongoing flight uncertainty, burst into applause as an air-hostess finally stepped out to board what was supposed to be their delayed flight. The applause, spontaneous and heartfelt, captured in a video that has now been viewed by millions, stood out as a rare gesture of gratitude in a sea of complaints.  

IndiGo On Flight Chaos

IndiGo, which operates about 2,200 flights daily, acknowledged that its operations were "significantly disrupted" and "sincerely apologised" to its customers.

"A multitude of unforeseen operational challenges, including minor technology glitches, schedule changes linked to the winter season, adverse weather conditions, increased congestion in the aviation system, and the implementation of updated crew rostering rules (Flight Duty Time Limitations), had a negative compounding impact on our operations in a way that was not feasible to be anticipated," the airline said in a statement on Wednesday.

"To contain the disruption and restore stability, we have initiated calibrated adjustments to our schedules. These measures will remain in place for the next 48 hours and will allow us to normalise our operations and progressively recover our punctuality across the network," IndiGo said.

A major factor behind the chaos at IndiGo, which serves 90 domestic and 40 international destinations, is a sharp shortage of crew, particularly pilots, following the introduction of revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms in November, which mandate more rest hours and humane rosters.