Confusion soared after Delhi airport and the DGCA issued contradictory advisories on cancellation timings, leaving stranded passengers unsure of when services would resume.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, December 5: India’s largest airline is in the middle of an unprecedented operational collapse. On Friday morning, the Delhi airport announced that all IndiGo domestic flights departing from the national capital stand cancelled till midnight, citing ongoing disruptions. Almost immediately, top officials in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) claimed that the cancellations extend only till 3 pm, not midnight.
The contradictory announcements have deepened confusion for thousands of passengers already stranded across terminals, many of whom have been waiting for hours with little clarity on how to reschedule their travel plans or claim refunds.
The chaos marks the fifth consecutive day of severe disruptions at IndiGo, a carrier known for its tight scheduling, lean operations, and historically high on-time performance — all of which now lie in disarray.
Unprecedented Numbers: Nearly 1,300 Flights Cancelled Since Tuesday
IndiGo’s troubles hit a new peak on Thursday when the airline scrapped 550 flights in a single day, the highest number of cancellations since its launch 20 years ago. Airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Kolkata reported widespread chaos as passengers flooded enquiry counters, many demanding alternative arrangements.
Delhi Airport issues passenger advisory: All IndiGo domestic departures stand cancelled till midnight today. Operations for all other carriers remain as per schedule
Chaos at most major metros rampant. Painful visuals of passengers stranded coming from major airports… https://t.co/SrmDEhMDwg pic.twitter.com/DEXTfAds3b
— Nabila Jamal (@nabilajamal_) December 5, 2025
On Friday morning, the airline had already cancelled over 500 more flights, including the full slate of departures from Delhi. Between Tuesday and Wednesday, an additional 200 flights were removed from schedules.
In total, nearly 1,300 flights have been cancelled this week — an extraordinary figure even by global aviation standards, especially for a carrier operating over 2,200 domestic and international flights daily.
Image Caption: Massive queues and unattended luggage dominated visuals at major airports; passengers said they were left without updates for hours.
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Passengers Left Stranded: Tempers Flare, Costs Skyrocket
Images from Delhi and Mumbai airports showed passengers sitting on floors surrounded by luggage, with many claiming they received last-minute cancellation messages after clearing security checks. Several flyers told NDTV they were not offered food coupons, hotel stays, or alternative flights — standard assistance protocols during large-scale disruptions.
Meanwhile, ticket prices on other airlines surged dramatically. One-way tickets on popular routes like Delhi–Mumbai and Delhi–Bengaluru crossed ₹25,000–₹35,000, prompting anger on social media.
Root of the Crisis: New Pilot Fatigue Rules + Manpower Miscalculation
Behind this meltdown lies a confluence of regulatory and managerial issues.
On Wednesday, the DGCA flagged that IndiGo had inadequate ground staff at Delhi’s Terminal 1, worsening congestion and blocking passenger movement during the morning rush.
But the larger problem is a massive miscalculation in crew planning related to India’s updated Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) — rules designed to protect pilots from exhaustion.\
What the new FDTL rules require:
• Mandatory weekly rest increased from 36 hours to 48 hours
• Tighter limits on consecutive flight duty hours
• Stricter norms on night operations, which directly impacts red-eye flights
• Increased constraints on early-morning and late-night duty patterns
These rules were rolled out in two phases:
• Phase 1: July 1
• Phase 2: November 1
IndiGo has admitted it underestimated how many pilots and crew members it needed to comply with the second phase. Pilots previously rostered as “available” suddenly became ineligible due to mandatory rest requirements.
An internal review triggered by the DGCA reportedly found that certain flight schedules were created without enough buffer to absorb these restrictions. With hundreds of pilots grounded under the new limitations, entire routes collapsed.
IndiGo operates an extensive network of overnight and early-morning flights, which meant the airline was hit harder than rivals.
IndiGo Seeks Exemption, Calls Crisis “Complex and Multi-Layered”
In a communication to the aviation regulator, IndiGo has sought a temporary exemption from parts of the new fatigue rules till February 10, 2026, saying it needs time to hire, train, and stabilise its crew strength.
CEO Pieter Elbers, in an internal message to staff, warned that returning to normal operations “will not be easy”, and apologised to customers for the “inconvenience and frustration” caused by the disruptions. He said the company is “working closely with the government and DGCA to reduce the cascading impact”.
However, despite the apology, operational issues on the ground continue unabated.
Pilot Body Hits Back: “Stop Blaming Pilots. Fix Management.”
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has strongly criticised IndiGo’s handling of the crisis.
In a sharply worded statement issued Thursday, the FIP said:
“Stop blaming pilots… fix management practices. The airline expanded schedules knowing it did not have the required manpower.”
The pilots’ union also pointed out that IndiGo chose to aggressively add seasonal and festival-flight capacity despite being aware of upcoming regulatory changes.
The airline, FIP said, followed an “unorthodox lean manpower strategy” and was now facing the consequences of overstretching its staff.
Aviation experts say it could take days — if not weeks — for IndiGo to fully stabilise operations. With new fatigue rules now legally enforceable and regulators unlikely to relax them immediately, the airline’s network may continue to see significant cancellations and consolidations.
