In a major relief for air travelers, IndiGo Airlines reported stabilizing operations on December 9, 2025, operating over 1,800 flights with a 90% on-time performance, up from the chaos of last week.

However, the low-cost carrier still faces over 250 cancellations today, continuing a crisis that has stranded thousands and drawn sharp government scrutiny.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced a tough penalty: slashing 5% of IndiGo's domestic slots—about 115 flights daily—effective immediately, with the freed-up airspace to be redistributed to rival airlines like Air India and Akasa.

The meltdown began escalating on December 2, triggered by IndiGo's failure to adapt to new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL Phase II) rules enforced from November 1.

These stricter pilot rest norms, aimed at curbing fatigue and boosting safety, caught the airline off-guard amid a 6% surge in its winter schedule. What started as modest disruptions snowballed into a nightmare: over 1,000 flights axed on December 5 alone, totaling more than 4,500 cancellations by December 8.

Passengers at hubs like Delhi's IGI Airport (143 cancellations today), Bengaluru (127), and Hyderabad (77) reported hours-long waits, lost baggage piles, and missed connections—ruining holidays, weddings, and business trips.

Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu didn't mince words in Parliament, calling it an "internal crisis" and vowing "very strict action" to set an example for the industry.

A high-level probe panel has summoned IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and COO Isidre Porqueras for Wednesday, with notices warning of penalties or suspensions.

The DGCA also granted IndiGo a temporary exemption from night-duty rules until February 2026, a move criticized by global pilots' unions like IFALPA for risking safety.

Financially, IndiGo is reeling. The airline has processed refunds worth Rs 827 crore for over 9.5 lakh tickets canceled between November 21 and December 7, with full waivers extended to bookings from December 3 to 15.

Total payouts could top Rs 1,396 crore, including rescheduling fees. "We deeply regret the hardships caused and are committed to full recovery," an IndiGo spokesperson said, blaming a "confluence" of factors like weather, technical glitches, and rostering issues.

Affected travelers, check the IndiGo app or website for real-time status—advisories urge arriving early at airports like Ahmedabad, where delays persist.

As competitors gear up to fill the void, questions swirl: Why did regulators approve IndiGo's expanded schedule without crew audits? And will this force broader reforms in India's booming aviation sector, now valued at billions but plagued by such breakdowns?

For now, the skies are clearing, but the fallout lingers. IndiGo plans 152 cancellations at Delhi tomorrow, down from peaks, signaling a slow grind back to normalcy. Stay tuned for probe outcomes that could reshape air travel rules.