IndiGo flight chaos: Major Indian airports affected by largest airline's service cancellations

Major airports across India faced widespread disruption on Friday as IndiGo, the nations largest airline, cancelled numerous flights amid newly enforced regulations restricting crew and pilot working hours. Travelers were seen sleeping on floors, standing in long queues at customer service counters, and waiting with little information from the airline.

This marked the fourth consecutive day of disturbances, as the low-cost carrier struggles to comply with rules mandating longer rest periods and limiting night operations to enhance safety and reduce fatigue.

The first stage of these regulations was implemented in July, with a second phase starting in November. IndiGo encountered difficulties in adjusting its schedules, leading to extensive flight cancellations and delays.

On Thursday, over 300 flights were grounded, with hundreds more postponed. Delhi airport issued an advisory stating that all domestic IndiGo flights would remain cancelled until midnight. Other Indian carriers, including Air India, have not experienced similar disruptions.

IndiGo operates roughly 2,300 flights daily and dominates nearly 65% of Indias domestic aviation sector. Passengers, including senior citizens Sajal and Senjuti Bose, were left stranded when their flight from Kolkata to New Delhi was cancelled just an hour before departure. Bose has since opted for a nine-hour train journey to Bagdogra to catch an alternative flight.

In an internal email, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers apologised to staff, attributing the disruptions to technical issues, scheduling changes, adverse weather, airport congestion, and the new regulations. The Civil Aviation Ministry stated that the main cause was poor planning during the implementation of the second phase of rules, with the airline admitting that the impact on crew availability was greater than expected.

IndiGo is seeking temporary exemptions and is working on corrective measures, aiming to fully resume normal operations by February 10. The airline has warned that further cancellations are likely over the coming weeks and plans to scale back flight operations from December 8 to reduce disruptions.

Author: Ava Mitchell