IndiGo airline has been dealing with what it calls an “operational crisis” since the start of the week. Things hit rock bottom on Friday, when more than 1,000 flights were cancelled in a single day. Major airports in Delhi, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru saw the worst of it, with passengers stranded and scrambling for alternatives.
What’s causing all this?
IndiGo initially pointed to several reasons: minor technical issues, changes to winter flight schedules, and bad weather. But aviation experts and regulators tell a different story.
The real problem, they say, is the airline’s struggle to follow new Flight Duty Time Limitation rules. These regulations were introduced in January 2024 to make sure pilots and crew get enough rest, helping prevent fatigue-related incidents. While the rules have been around for nearly a year, they weren’t strictly enforced until recently.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said IndiGo made a “misjudgment” and had a “gap in planning” while trying to implement these duty-hour limits.
Things are improving, slowly
There’s some good news for travelers. Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport said late Friday that IndiGo’s operations are “steadily resuming” and returning to normal. Still, they’re asking passengers to double-check their flight status before heading to the airport.
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers addressed the situation in a video message, acknowledging that Friday was the worst day. He expects cancellations to drop below 1,000 on Saturday, with normal operations resuming sometime between December 10 and December 15.
“I extend our sincerest apologies for the inconvenience it has caused to our customers,” Elbers said in the statement.
The airline posted another apology on social media, admitting the problems won’t disappear overnight. “We assure you that we will do everything in our capacity to help you in the meantime and to bring our operations back to normal at the earliest,” the company said.
What if your flight was affected?
IndiGo is offering full refunds for passengers who want to cancel their bookings between December 5 and December 15. The airline is also waiving all fees for passengers who need to reschedule their flights during this period.
The company says its teams are working around the clock to fix scheduling systems and get things back on track. They’re coordinating closely with the Aviation Ministry and DGCA to sort out the mess.
