IndiGo’s worst crisis in two decades has crippled airports nationwide, with over 1,500 flights cancelled, lakhs stranded, soaring fares, and government intervention underway as India’s one the largest airline struggles to recover from severe staffing and scheduling failures.
India’s aviation sector has plunged into unprecedented turmoil after IndiGo, one of the country’s largest airlines with nearly 60% of the domestic market, suffered its worst operational failure in two decades. What started earlier this week as a wave of delays has escalated into a nationwide aviation crisis, grounding aircraft, stranding passengers, and exposing severe structural vulnerabilities within the airline industry.
For four consecutive days, airports across India resembled crisis zones. More than 1,500 flights were cancelled, leaving hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded without food, updates, or even their luggage. Many travellers slept on terminal floors, others broke down in frustration, and some were forced to attend weddings or urgent family events via video call after missing flights.
On Thursday alone, IndiGo cancelled over 550 flights, marking the highest single-day disruption in the airline’s history. By Friday, more than 400 additional flights were scrapped. Delhi and Chennai airports were compelled to halt all IndiGo departures for extended periods, further deepening the crisis.
Passengers travelling between Indian cities reported that flying to Dubai had become cheaper than flying from Delhi to Bengaluru. At the core of the meltdown lies IndiGo’s serious misjudgment of staffing requirements following the implementation of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s new Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) regulations. These rules, aimed at reducing pilot fatigue, sharply increased weekly rest hours, restricted night operations, and lowered the cap on flying hours. IndiGo, which operates around 2,300 flights daily, failed to plan for the manpower needed under the new system. The result was a cascading collapse across its network.
As frustration mounted, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu summoned IndiGo’s senior leadership for an emergency meeting. The DGCA launched an investigation and temporarily rolled back some of the FDTL restrictions to give the airline operational breathing space. The government’s message, however, was clear: the airline must stabilise operations immediately, and it must not pass the crisis onto passengers through fare increases.
Scenes of anger and helplessness dominated airports nationwide. Passengers reported waiting 12 to 14 hours with no information from staff, no meals, and no assistance. Footage from airports showed long queues, abandoned baggage piles, and chaotic crowds demanding answers.
IndiGo has issued a public apology, admitting to “planning gaps and misjudgment.” The airline states that flight operations will be reduced from December 8 to restore stability and claims that full normalcy will return by February 10. The government, however, expects a significant improvement within the next 72 hours.
Once celebrated for its precision and punctuality, famously called its on-time performance “On Time. All the Time.”, IndiGo now faces a credibility crisis. The turbulence has raised questions not just about the airline’s planning but also about the resilience of India’s aviation ecosystem. For now, thousands of travellers remain stranded, frustrated, and waiting for takeoff.
