Chaos Erupts as India's Biggest Airline Cancels 1,200 Flights
Major disruptions have hit air travel in India as IndiGo, the country's largest airline, canceled over 1,200 flights in November. The mass cancellations have left thousands of passengers stranded and major airports facing severe disruptions. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is now scrutinizing the airline's operations and has requested an explanation for the sharp decline in performance.
The cancellations stem from a combination of factors, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA). Crew shortages and constraints related to Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) accounted for a significant portion of the disruptions, with 755 flights canceled due to these issues. Airport and airspace restrictions contributed to 258 canceled flights, while air traffic control (ATC) system failures led to another 92 cancellations. The remaining 127 flights were canceled due to miscellaneous reasons.
IndiGo has acknowledged the significant disruption to its network and has apologized to customers for the inconvenience caused. The airline stated that it is making "calibrated adjustments" to its schedule over the next 48 hours to normalize operations. However, the sudden cancellations have already created chaos at airports across the country, including major hubs like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore.
The DGCA is taking the matter seriously and is "evaluating measures" with IndiGo to reduce cancellations and delays in order to minimize inconvenience to passengers. The aviation regulator has asked IndiGo to present a report detailing the reasons for the disruptions and the steps it is taking to address the situation.
IndiGo's on-time performance (OTP) has also been severely affected by the disruptions. In November 2025, the airline's OTP was 67.70%, a significant drop from 84.1% in October 2025. The major reasons for delays include ATC issues (16%), operations-crew problems (6%), airport facility issues (3%), and other operational reasons (8%).
The situation highlights the challenges that airlines face in balancing operational efficiency with regulatory requirements and external factors such as weather and ATC issues. The DGCA's investigation will likely focus on whether IndiGo adequately planned for the implementation of the new FDTL rules and whether the airline could have taken steps to mitigate the impact of these rules on its operations. Passengers are advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport and to be prepared for potential delays and cancellations.
