IndiGo, India’s biggest airline, is witnessing one of its most serious operational failures in recent years, with flight delays and cancellations spreading throughout the nation.
According to government statistics released on Tuesday, the airline’s on-time performance has drastically decreased to only 35%, which is concerning for a company that has a reputation for being on time.
The chaos persisted on Wednesday, with airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad reporting around 200 cancellations by the afternoon, causing significant disruptions for domestic travelers.
Crew Shortage After New Duty Norms
A crucial element driving the pandemonium is a dramatic scarcity of workers, notably pilots, after the adoption of stricter Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) standards last month. The new guidelines dictate longer rest hours and gentler rosters, but IndiGo has been battling to realign its huge network adequately.
Sources claimed numerous planes had to be grounded because no cabin crew was available, while others had delays lasting up to eight hours. With IndiGo dominating more than 60 per cent of the domestic market, the ripple effect from its interrupted schedule has been felt system-wide.
“We sincerely apologize to our customers for the difficulty caused, and we realize that IndiGo’s operations have been severely impacted across the network for the previous two days.
“IndiGo stated that a combination of unexpected operational challenges—such as minor technical issues, schedule adjustments due to the winter season, bad weather, increased air traffic congestion, and new crew rostering rules (Flight Duty Time Limitations)—negatively affected their operations in ways that were difficult to predict.”
Flight duty time limitation, or FDTL standards, govern the amount of hours a crew member may be on duty. It restricts flying to 8 hours per day, 35 hours per week, 125 hours per month, and 1,000 hours per year.
The guidelines also stipulate mandated rest intervals, mandating that every crew member get downtime equating to double the length of their flying time, with a minimum of 10 hours of relaxation within each 24-hour window.
This was brought up by the DGCA to guarantee pilots and cabin personnel have proper rest and are not pushed into weariness that might threaten safety.
“We have started making calibrated schedule modifications in order to reduce the disturbance and restore stability. These precautions, which will be in effect for the next 48 hours, will enable us to resume regular operations and gradually restore our network-wide timeliness. Our personnel are working around the clock to reduce customer distress and ensure operations stabilize as early as feasible,” the IndiGo statement stated.
“Furthermore, the impacted clients are being provided other travel arrangements to reach their destinations or reimbursements, where appropriate. Before traveling to the airport, we advise clients to check the most recent flight status at https://www.goindigo.in/check-flight-status.html. We genuinely regret the inconvenience caused and are completely dedicated to reducing interruption and helping our clients during this time,” it said.
IndiGo Flights Cancelled, Passengers Stranded
The repercussions were obvious in Hyderabad too, where early-morning scenes at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) featured large waits and angry customers after 33 IndiGo flights, including both arrivals and departures, were canceled.
“RGIA airport operations are regular, and travelers are encouraged to contact IndiGo’s customer service team directly for the latest details on flight status,” the airport said in a statement on X on Wednesday afternoon.
IndiGo arrivals from Visakhapatnam, Goa, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Madurai, Hubli, Bhopal and Bhubaneswar to Hyderabad were canceled today, including outgoing flights to Delhi, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Hubli and Bhopal.
Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru also saw a wave of interruptions, with 42 domestic flights—20 departures and 22 arrivals—cancelled. Affected services included those that connected Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Goa, Kolkata, and Lucknow.
Travellers Vent Online
Angry travelers turned to social media site X to report their experiences. One tourist waiting in Hyderabad remarked, “I have been delayed since 3 a.m. and have missed a crucial meeting.” Another traveler commented, “I am in Hyderabad airport waiting for my Udaipur flight. It was originally delayed until 1.55 PM, then 2.55 PM, and now 4.35 PM. Is this a joke? I was told barely three minutes before entering the airport.”
Tech Issues At Delhi Airport
At Delhi Airport, a slowness due to the Amadeus system, used by airlines for check-ins, bookings and departure management, aggravated the issues. The problem led to longer waits and slower processing, further slowing down operations already plagued by staffing shortages, insiders told NDTV.
