India’s largest domestic airline, IndiGo, is facing its worst-ever spell of flight disruptions — with hundreds of flights cancelled in just days, forcing thousands of passengers across major airports into chaotic queues and long waits. The sudden operational breakdown comes after the enforcement of strict crew-duty rules, exposing weak roster planning and intense pressure on aviation infrastructure.
Widespread Disruptions at Major Airports
The disruption began mounting earlier this week, but by December 4–5, it escalated dramatically. On Thursday alone, over 300 flights were cancelled across key airports including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
On December 5, the situation worsened: more than 400 flights were cancelled nationwide, with some airports seeing over 100 cancellations.
At the capital city’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi), all domestic departures were suspended until midnight. Meanwhile, airports in Bengaluru and Hyderabad also reported dozens of cancellations each, creating chaos for connecting passengers.
What Led to the Crisis: Crew Shortages & New Rules
The root cause behind this chaos lies in the newly implemented crew rest and flight-duty norms set by the aviation watchdog. Under the revised Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) rules, weekly rest periods for pilots and crew have been extended, and night-time landings are severely limited.
These regulations, collectively known as the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), came into full effect on 1 November 2025. While all airlines are subject to the same rules, IndiGo has been hit hardest — likely because of its massive route network, high number of late-night and early-morning flights, and a lean crew-roster strategy that left little margin for adjustment.
IndiGo itself acknowledged “mis-judgment and planning gaps” in implementing the second phase of the FDTL norms. The result: insufficient legally eligible crew available for many flights — forcing cancellations en masse.
Chain Reaction: Safety, Scheduling & Infrastructure Pressure
What began as a roster-planning shortfall quickly triggered a domino effect across aviation operations. With fewer crews available, many scheduled flights were grounded. This also caused aircraft to sit idle — blocking parking bays at airports, creating congestion, delaying arrivals and departures, and worsening scheduling for other airlines.
The disruptions amplified during the winter season, when weather, air-traffic control delays and airport congestion add extra strain. IndiGo officials say these factors — combined with the crew crisis — created “a compounding impact” on their network.
Passengers Suffer: Stranded at Airports, Luggage Chaos, Frayed Plans
Across the country, thousands of travellers were stranded — some waiting for hours in queues, others stuck onboard aircraft after landing because no parking bays were available. In some cases, people reported waiting up to 4 hours before being allowed to disembark.
Many lost their connecting flights or overnight bookings; some had to scramble for alternate travel arrangements at higher cost. Social media was flooded with complaints about poor communication, lack of clear information, inadequate rebooking support and disrupted travel plans.
For passengers travelling for urgent commitments — weddings, business, medical emergencies — the timing couldn’t have been worse. Several voiced frustration with the treatment, saying that despite being booked well in advance and receiving on-time notifications, flights were cancelled at the last minute.
Regulator Steps In, IndiGo Promises Recovery — But How Soon?
In response to mounting public outrage and regulatory scrutiny, DGCA has summoned IndiGo’s top leadership, asking for a full breakdown of crew rosters, flight plans and corrective measures.
IndiGo’s CEO has reportedly communicated that the airline aims to restore normal operations gradually. The airline says it will commence “calibrated schedule adjustments,” and expects stable flight operations by **10 February 2026**.
For now, the company has advised passengers to **check flight status before heading to the airport** and apologised to those affected. 20 Yet many travellers remain sceptical, arguing that after days of chaos and little assurance, only consistent performance — not promises — will rebuild trust.
Broader Implications: Lessons for India’s Aviation Industry
The crisis at IndiGo underscores important lessons for the entire aviation sector. First, stringent safety and fatigue-management regulations — like FDTL — are critical for long-term safety of passengers and crew. But airlines must proactively adjust manpower, roster planning and operational strategy well in advance. As aviation experts say, “scale is a double-edged sword”: large networks offer business advantage — but also make recovery harder when disruptions happen.
Second, regulators and airlines need better coordination during rule changes to ensure minimal impact on passengers. This includes realistic timelines, phased rollouts and contingency reserves of crew and aircraft.
Finally, transparency towards passengers — timely alerts, clear rebooking or refund options, support with accommodation, and better customer communication — becomes especially important during large-scale disruptions, lest airlines lose public goodwill built over years.
Conclusion: IndiGo’s recent breakdown in operations has exposed serious vulnerabilities in its crew-management and planning systems. While stricter fatigue-management rules are necessary and welcome, the airline was clearly not prepared for their full effect. For now, passengers continue to bear the brunt — and only time, careful planning and honest communication can salvage the airline’s reputation and India’s faith in smooth air travel again.
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