IndiGo shares finished almost 2 percent down on Wednesday as the airline dealt with extensive flight delays and cancellations prompted by IT and operational concerns.
The parent company of IndiGo, InterGlobe Aviation, saw its stock close 1.73 percent down at Rs 5,599 on the NSE.
The stock came under pressure amid problems at Hyderabad Airport, when the airline canceled 13 outbound flights to locations like Delhi and Bengaluru. According to airport officials, several IndiGo flights experienced delays and cancellations as a result of airline-related technological and operational issues.
The airline reportedly grounded nine planes on Tuesday and canceled eighteen inbound flights on Wednesday. Several IndiGo flights across airports were delayed as the company failed to deploy appropriate staff.
An IndiGo representative acknowledged the disruptions, stating that the airline had experienced “several unavoidable flight delays and some cancellations in the past few days due to various reasons including technology issues, airport congestion, and operational requirements.” The Hyderabad airport made a similar statement about the impact on IndiGo services in a post on X.
Sources claimed IndiGo canceled more than 70 flights on Wednesday, including services from Bengaluru and Mumbai, mostly owing to personnel shortages. “IndiGo has been battling extreme staff scarcity since the adoption of the second phase of the FDTL regulations, causing to cancellations and major delays in its operations throughout the airports,” one source said.
The revised flight duty time restriction regulations demand longer weekly rest intervals of 48 hours, expand night-time definitions, and cap night landings at two instead of six. Domestic airlines, including IndiGo and Air India, had first contested the modifications, but the DGCA announced them following a Delhi High Court decision. The deployment has been staggered, with various differences for different airlines.
The first part of the rules took effect in July, while the second phase, including the lower night-landing restriction, was enforced from November 1. The measures were initially set for March 2024, but airlines requested a gradual rollout citing the need for extra staff.
With its headquarters in Gurugram, IndiGo handles over 2,100 local and international flights per day, most of which take place at night.
