Chaos and frustration have descended upon major airports across India as the country's largest airline, IndiGo, struggles with widespread flight cancellations and severe delays. The disruption, now entering its fourth consecutive day, stems from the carrier's failure to adapt to newly enforced regulations governing pilot and crew working hours.
Scenes of Stranded Passengers and Operational Meltdown
Airport terminals have become scenes of distress, with passengers forced to sleep on floors and endure hours-long queues at help desks. Communication from the budget airline has been poor, leaving travellers in the dark about their journeys. The root cause is a two-phase implementation of new rules designed to combat fatigue and enhance safety. The first phase began in July, with the more stringent second phase taking effect in November.
IndiGo, which operates a staggering 2,300 flights daily and commands nearly 65% of the domestic market, has been unable to adjust its rosters in time. On Thursday alone, more than 300 of its flights were grounded, with several hundred more significantly delayed. An advisory from Delhi airport on Friday stated that all domestic IndiGo flights would remain cancelled until midnight.
Passenger Anguish and Official Explanations
The human impact of the crisis is stark. Senior citizen Sajal Bose and his wife Senjuti had their early Friday flight from Kolkata to New Delhi cancelled just an hour before take-off, scuppering plans to attend a friend's silver jubilee celebration. "It's very irresponsible and complete negligence. Very difficult for older people like us," Mr Bose told The Associated Press. He was forced to embark on a nine-hour train journey to Bagdogra in the hope of finding an alternative flight.
In an internal email to staff, IndiGo's CEO Pieter Elbers apologised, blaming a confluence of factors including technology issues, schedule changes, bad weather, airport congestion, and the new rules. However, India's Civil Aviation Ministry was more direct, stating the disruptions arose from "misjudgment and planning gaps" as the airline implemented the rules' second phase. The ministry confirmed IndiGo admitted the impact on available crew had exceeded expectations.
Long Road to Recovery
IndiGo has requested temporary exemptions from the regulations and informed the government that corrective actions are underway. However, the airline has indicated that normal operations will not be fully restored until 10 February 2026. In the interim, further cancellations are expected over the coming weeks. To mitigate the ongoing chaos, IndiGo will proactively reduce its flight schedule starting from 8 December.
Notably, other major carriers like Air India have so far avoided similar widespread disruptions, highlighting the specific operational challenges faced by the market leader. The episode raises serious questions about planning and resilience within India's dominant aviation force, leaving thousands of passengers to pay the price.
