Chaos continues to grip airports across India as IndiGo, the nation's largest airline, grapples with a fourth consecutive day of widespread flight delays and cancellations. Stranded passengers are sharing accounts of painful waits, with many reporting a lack of communication, inadequate support, and overall frustration with the situation.
The disruptions have impacted major aviation hubs, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, with hundreds of flights being scrapped. All IndiGo flights scheduled to depart from Delhi Airport were canceled until midnight on Friday. On Friday alone, 135 departures and 90 arrivals were cancelled in Delhi. Bengaluru Airport reported 52 arrivals and 50 departures scrapped, while Hyderabad logged 92 cancellations. Mumbai airport saw 104 IndiGo flights cancelled. Ahmedabad airport officials reported 19 flights cancelled between 12 am and 6 am on Saturday.
Passengers have described scenes of long queues, frayed tempers, and desperate appeals at airline counters. Many have been left waiting for hours without sufficient updates, food, or drinking water. Some travelers chose to wait outside the airport as they considered their options. The situation has been particularly difficult for those with connecting flights or time-sensitive commitments. One family was forced to attend their own wedding reception virtually due to the disruptions.
IndiGo has attributed the chaos to a "multitude of unforeseen operational challenges," including minor tech glitches, winter schedule changes, congestion, and weather. However, aviation insiders and regulators suggest that the primary cause is the implementation of new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) for crew, designed to prevent pilot fatigue. These rules mandate increased weekly rest periods for pilots and limit night flying hours, impacting the airline's ability to maintain its schedule. India's Civil Aviation Minister, Ram Mohan Naidu, stated that IndiGo's poor crew planning under the updated FDTL rules led to the disruptions. He noted that other airlines adapted to the new regulations without similar difficulties.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken notice of the situation, with inspectors operating IndiGo flights. The aviation regulator confirmed that IndiGo would scale back its schedule starting Monday to manage disruptions caused by new pilot duty hour rules. The DGCA has also appealed to pilot bodies for cooperation amid the disruptions.
IndiGo has issued multiple apologies for the inconvenience caused and has assured passengers of full refunds on cancellations and waivers on rescheduling fees for travel between December 5 and December 15. The airline has urged affected passengers not to travel to the airport and to check their flight status online. IndiGo expects operations to return to normal between December 10 and 15. The airline has also requested partial relaxations of the new FDTL norms to stabilize operations, with full implementation expected by February 2026.
A four-member committee has been formed to investigate the sequence of events and identify any lapses in planning or execution. The Civil Aviation Minister has emphasized that accountability is essential and that those responsible will face consequences. In the meantime, the ministry's priority is to stabilize operations and support affected passengers. SpiceJet is running 100 additional flights amid IndiGo delays.
