Some IndiGo fliers have alleged that the airline "protected" its international flights as thousands of passengers were stranded due to widespread disruption of the airline's domestic operations this week.
The crisis at IndiGo, the country's largest airline, which serves more than 90 domestic destinations and over 40 international cities, entered its fourth day on Friday, with about 1,300 flights being cancelled so far, leaving thousands of passengers stranded across the country.
"Cancellations weren't random - they were strategic. Domestic flights took the maximum hit. International flights were largely protected - estimated to be less than 10% cancellations, mostly on connecting legs - because these routes deliver USD revenue, higher yields, lower fuel uplifting costs, and cancelling overseas flights triggers tougher passenger compensation rules under foreign regulations and reputational issues," a user claimed in a post on X that has now gone viral.
"In short, they shielded profitable high margin international routes and sacrificed low-margin domestic sectors, creating visible pain for fliers and public pressure - a convenient backdrop to justify a push for FDTL rollback. That's not random chaos - that's calculated strategic planning," the person alleged.
Aviation expert Sanjay Lazar agreed with the user and said the "entire saga appears contrived".
Another user said it was a "well-planned strategy".
There was no immediate response from IndiGo, which has said that the disruptions have arisen primarily from "misjudgment and planning gaps" in implementing the new pilot duty rules, which increased the amount of mandatory rest per week for pilots by 12 hours to 48 hours, effective November 1.
IndiGo Says Flight Ops To Be Fully Normal By Feb 10
IndiGo on Thursday told aviation watchdog DGCA that its flight operations are expected to be fully stabilised by February 10 next year. It also sought temporary relaxations in flight duty norms.
The airline, which in normal conditions runs over 2,200 domestic and international flights daily, also informed the regulator that there will be more cancellations till December 8.
In a post on X, IndiGo apologised to all its customers and industry stakeholders who were "impacted by these events".
The last two days have seen widespread disruption across IndiGo's network and operations. We extend a heartfelt apology to all our customers and industry stakeholders who have been impacted by these events. IndiGo teams are working diligently and making all efforts with the…
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 4, 2025
"IndiGo teams are working diligently and making all efforts with the support of MOCA, DGCA, BCAS, AAI and airport operators to reduce the cascading impact of these delays and restore normalcy. IndiGo deeply regrets the inconvenience caused and remains focussed on streamlining its operations at the earliest," it said.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Thursday said it has taken "serious note" of the operational disruptions and cancellations of flights across IndiGo's network.
Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu also chaired a high-level review meeting with IndiGo's senior management. During the meeting, IndiGo presented data on cancellations and attributed the disruption to challenges in crew planning and implementation of the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms, along with seasonal weather-related constraints.
Naidu expressed "clear displeasure" regarding the manner in which the situation has been handled by the airline, according to a statement from his office.
Reviewed the operations of Indigo along with senior officials of Ministry of Civil Aviation and DGCA. I have instructed the DGCA and concerned officials at the Ministry to keep a close watch on the network and directed Indigo to normalize the operations at the earliest. In… pic.twitter.com/ZdqFXPOAvM
— Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu (@RamMNK) December 4, 2025
He stressed that "ample preparatory time" had been available to ensure a seamless transition to the new regulatory requirements.
Naidu also directed IndiGo to urgently normalise operations and to ensure that there is "no increase in airfares" due to the current situation.
He also held a meeting with senior officers of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and directed that all airport directors must continuously monitor the situation on the ground and extend full support to all stranded passengers.
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