- IndiGo’s on-time performance dropped to 35%, causing widespread flight delays and cancellations
- New Flight Duty Time Limitation rules led to severe crew shortages, especially pilots and cabin staff
- Close to 200 IndiGo flights were cancelled at major airports like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad
IndiGo, India's largest airline, is facing one of its most severe operational breakdowns in recent years, with flight delays and cancellations sweeping across the country.
As per IndiGo's website, the airline operates "well over 2,200 daily flights". Government data from Tuesday shows the airline's on-time performance plunging to just 35 per cent, a dramatic fall for a carrier long associated with punctuality. This implies over 1,400 flights were delayed yesterday.
The turbulence continued on Wednesday, when airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad collectively reported close to 200 cancellations by afternoon, triggering widespread disruption for domestic travellers.
"Some IndiGo flights operating from Mumbai Airport may experience delays or cancellations due to airline-related operational issues. Passengers booked with IndiGo are requested to check the latest flight status directly with the airline before heading to the airport," the Mumbai airport said in a statement.
Crew Shortage After New Duty Norms
A significant factor behind the chaos is a sharp shortage of crew, particularly pilots, following the introduction of revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms last month. The new rules mandate more rest hours and humane rosters, but IndiGo has been struggling to realign its massive network accordingly.
Sources said many flights had to be grounded because no cabin crew was available, while others faced delays stretching up to eight hours. With IndiGo commanding more than 60 per cent of the domestic market, the ripple effect from its disrupted schedule has been felt system-wide.
"We acknowledge that IndiGo's operations have been significantly disrupted across the network for the past two days, and we sincerely apologise to our customers for the inconvenience caused. 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," IndiGo said in a statement.
Flight duty time limitation, or FDTL norms, cap the number of hours a crew member can be on duty. It limits flying to eight hours a day, 35 hours a week, 125 hours a month and 1,000 hours a year.
The rules also specify mandatory rest periods, requiring that every crew member receive downtime amounting to twice the duration of their flight time, with a minimum of 10 hours of rest within any 24-hour window.
This was brought in by the DGCA to ensure pilots and cabin crew get sufficient rest and are not pushed into fatigue that could compromise safety.
"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. Our teams are working around the clock to ease customer discomfort and ensure operations stabilise as quickly as possible," the IndiGo statement continued.
"Furthermore, the affected customers are being offered alternate travel arrangements to reach their destinations or refunds, as applicable. We request customers to check the latest flight status at https://www.goindigo.in/check-flight-status.html before heading to the airport. We deeply regret the inconvenience caused and remain fully committed to minimising disruption and supporting our customers through this period," it added.
IndiGo Flights Cancelled, Passengers Stranded
The impacts were visible in Hyderabad too, where early-morning scenes at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) had long queues and frustrated travellers after 33 IndiGo flights, including both arrivals and departures, were cancelled.
The airport issued an update on X on Wednesday afternoon, stating, "RGIA airport operations remain normal, and passengers are requested to contact IndiGo's customer service team directly for the latest updates on flight status."
IndiGo arrivals from Visakhapatnam, Goa, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Madurai, Hubli, Bhopal and Bhubaneswar to Hyderabad were cancelled today, including outbound flights to Delhi, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Hubli and Bhopal.
Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport also faced a wave of disruptions with 42 domestic flights cancelled, including 22 arrivals and 20 departures. Services connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Goa, Kolkata and Lucknow were among those affected.
Travellers Vent Online
Angry passengers took to social media platform X to detail their experiences. One traveller waiting in Hyderabad wrote, "I have been stranded since 3 a.m. and have missed an important meeting." Another passenger posted, "I am at Hyderabad airport waiting for my Udaipur flight. It was first delayed to 1.55 PM, then 2.55 PM, and now 4.35 PM. Is this a joke? I was informed only three minutes before entering the airport."
Tech Issues At Delhi Airport
At Delhi Airport, a slowdown linked to the Amadeus system, used by airlines for check-ins, reservations and departure control, compounded the problems. The glitch led to longer queues and slower processing, further weighing down operations already hit by manpower shortages, sources told NDTV.
