IndiGo's Sky-High Turmoil: Cancellations Surge to 300+ as Regulator Steps In
India's aviation giant IndiGo is reeling from an operational storm that shows no signs of letting up. What began as over 70 flight cancellations on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, has ballooned into a full-scale crisis, with more than 300 flights grounded across the past 48 hours.
On Thursday, December 4, the tally hit over 180 cancellations from key hubs like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru alone—73 from Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport, leaving travelers fuming amid hours-long delays and chaotic scenes. Passenger protests erupted in Hyderabad and Bengaluru, with crowds demanding refunds and answers as some flights lagged up to 10 hours.
The root cause? A brutal crew shortage triggered by the second phase of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's (DGCA) Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms, rolled out on November 1, 2025.
These rules boost weekly crew rest to 48 hours from 36, stretch night duty windows, and cap night landings at two per pilot weekly—down from six—aiming to curb fatigue but slamming IndiGo's night-heavy schedule.
Insiders call it a "strategic mistake": Despite a two-year heads-up, IndiGo imposed a hiring freeze, failing to ramp up its 4% crew buffer amid fleet growth stalled by engine woes and slow deliveries.
IndiGo's on-time performance cratered to a shocking 19.7% at six major domestic airports on Wednesday, from 35% the day before and a solid 50% on Monday—far below rivals like Air India (67.2%), Air India Express (79.5%), SpiceJet (82.5%), and Akasa Air (73.2%).
The airline, which handles over 60% of domestic traffic with 2,300 daily flights on a fleet of 416 aircraft (366 operational as of December 2), blamed a "multitude of unforeseen challenges": tech glitches, winter scheduling shifts, bad weather, airport crowds, and the FDTL rollout.
In a fresh statement, IndiGo vowed "calibrated adjustments" to its timetable for the next 48 hours to "restore stability," while apologizing for the "negative compounding impact."
The fallout is swift and stinging. The DGCA has kicked off a probe, demanding explanations from IndiGo on the disruptions and crew constraints. Pilot unions like the Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA) and Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) slammed the carrier for poor planning, urging the regulator to block seasonal schedules without adequate staffing. Even BSE sought clarifications, as IndiGo's shares tumbled 2.65% on the news.
For stranded passengers, options include full refunds, free rebookings, and waived change fees—check the IndiGo app religiously. As India's skies boom toward 15% growth in 2026, this saga spotlights the clash between safety mandates and seamless travel.
Will IndiGo's aggressive hiring kick in fast enough? Experts say it's a wake-up call for the entire sector to balance regs with reliability.
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