IndiGo Flight Cancellation Chaos: DGCA and Civil Aviation Ministry Launch Review; Normalcy by February 2026, Says Airline
In the wake of widespread operational disruptions and a surge in flight cancellations, the Civil Aviation Ministry and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have initiated an intensive review of IndiGo's operations. The disruptions, which began in late November 2025, have seen the airline canceling an unusually high number of flights, with figures soaring to 170-200 cancellations per day.
The Civil Aviation Minister convened a meeting with senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and IndiGo's management to address the situation. The ministry has directed IndiGo and relevant aviation bodies to take immediate action to assist passengers and stabilize operations, closely monitoring the situation. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has been instructed to ensure that all airports provide necessary support to stranded passengers and closely track the evolving situation. The DGCA has also been tasked with closely monitoring airfares during this period of disruption to prevent price gouging.
IndiGo has attributed the disruptions to challenges encountered while implementing the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL). These new regulations, which came into effect in two phases on July 1, 2025, and November 1, 2025, were designed to manage crew fatigue. However, IndiGo has admitted to "misjudgment and planning gaps" in implementing the second phase of the FDTL norms, leading to crew shortages and scheduling instability. The airline acknowledged that its crew requirements exceeded their initial anticipation.
To mitigate the impact on passengers, IndiGo has informed the DGCA that it will reduce flight operations starting December 8, 2025. The airline aims to fully restore stable flight operations by February 10, 2026. IndiGo has also stated that cancellations are expected to continue for the next few days as part of efforts to stabilize its network.
The DGCA has deployed its regional offices to conduct real-time inspections at major airports to assess IndiGo's handling of the disruptions. An inspection at Delhi's Terminal 1 found that IndiGo's passenger-handling staff was insufficient to manage the severe crowding caused by delays and cancellations. The airline has been directed to immediately increase manpower and strengthen passenger support systems across impacted terminals.
In November 2025, IndiGo cancelled 1,232 flights, with 755 of these cancellations attributed to crew shortages related to the FDTL rules. Other cancellations were due to airport and airspace restrictions, air traffic control (ATC) failures, and other operational issues. The airline's on-time performance also experienced a significant drop, falling to 67.7% in November from 84.1% in October.
The DGCA has requested IndiGo to submit a comprehensive roadmap outlining projected crew strength, aircraft availability, and network schedule to ensure a swift return to normalcy. The regulator has also asked the airline to provide fortnightly progress reports detailing improvements in operations, crew availability, and roster stability.
Amidst the disruptions, passengers have faced significant inconvenience, with long queues and confusion reported at various airports. IndiGo is offering affected customers alternative flight options or refunds. The airline has been cautioned against raising fares during this period.
