Scenes of escalating chaos are unfolding at airports nationwide as IndiGo’s community struggles to remain airborne. Lengthy queues, frayed tempers and anxious appeals at airline counters have turn into the norm, with passengers stranded for hours amid a wave of cancellations and delays that has battered the nation’s largest airline for a fourth straight day.
Greater than 1,000 IndiGo flights have been cancelled over the previous 4 days. The cancellations have hit main hubs together with Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, the place lots of of exits and arrivals have been scrapped in fast succession.
Monitor newest updates on IndiGo flight standing right here
The storm at IndiGo: How the disaster spiraled
IndiGo has attributed the chaos to a “multitude of unexpected operational challenges,” together with minor tech glitches, winter schedule adjustments, congestion, and climate.
However aviation insiders and regulators agree: the actual blow got here from the implementation of Flight Responsibility Time Limitations (FDTL) – new crew relaxation and duty-hour guidelines designed to stop pilot fatigue.
Initially launched in January 2024 however not enforced till now, the principles mandate:
- 48 hours of weekly relaxation for crew (up from 36 hours)
- An extended night time obligation window (00:00–06:00)
- A pointy reduce in night time landings — solely two per week per pilot
- A cap of 8 flying hours throughout night time operations
These restrictions pressured a big chunk of IndiGo’s pilots into obligatory relaxation simply because the airline expanded its frequency for the winter schedule on October 26.
The crunch intensified after an Airbus A320 software program advisory triggered weekend delays, pushing flights previous midnight – turning delays into cascading cancellations as soon as the brand new relaxation guidelines kicked in.
Additionally learn: The domino impact that led to IndiGo’s mass flight cancellations, delays
IndiGo’s scale: A double-edged sword
IndiGo operates over 2,200 flights a day – practically double Air India. A tiny lapse in planning turns into an unlimited meltdown: Even a ten% disruption means 200–400 flights affected and hundreds stranded.
At Delhi alone on Friday, 135 departures and 90 arrivals had been cancelled. Bengaluru Airport reported 52 arrivals and 50 departures scrapped, whereas Hyderabad logged 92 cancellations the identical day.
Nationwide, greater than 600 flights had been cancelled in simply 48 hours – a record-breaking collapse for the 20-year-old airline.
Reduction arrives for IndiGo – DGCA rolls again key rule
In a big improvement on Friday, the Directorate Normal of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued an order withdrawing a strict provision within the new Flight Responsibility Time Limitations (FDTL) guidelines that acknowledged “no depart shall be substituted for weekly relaxation.” The aviation regulator mentioned the choice was taken in view of ongoing operational disruptions and after representations from airways determined to revive stability. The change has been carried out with speedy impact, providing some respiratory room to carriers making an attempt to re-roster crew and restart flights.
IndiGo is predicted to see some easing in crew availability on account of the regulator’s transfer. This marks the primary rollback of an FDTL clause since enforcement started — signalling acknowledgment from the federal government that the airline {industry}, particularly IndiGo, was caught unprepared for the transition.
Why pilots lay blame on IndiGo administration
Pilot unions allege IndiGo ignored warnings and failed to organize staffing rosters:
- A protracted hiring freeze regardless of realizing new guidelines had been imminent
- Lean manpower technique for years to chop prices
- Non-poaching pacts and pay freezes
- Schedule planning that didn’t consider new relaxation norms
The Federation of Indian Pilots says the chaos is a direct consequence of those selections, claiming different airways ready higher and stay largely unaffected. Unions additionally criticised DGCA for approving winter flights with out verifying pilot availability below the brand new norms.
Some aviation consultants even suspect the disruptions may very well be a strain tactic to safe relaxations in FDTL guidelines – a declare pilots warn may compromise security.
Passenger nightmare continues
“They stored saying ‘simply two extra hours’ for 12 hours straight. No lodge, no meals, nothing,” says a stranded Hyderabad flyer.
One other passenger in Bengaluru mentioned they spent over 12 hours in a single day on the airport earlier than their flight was cancelled.
Additionally learn: IndiGo flight cancellations spark chaos throughout airports – ‘Captain lacking, passengers screaming’
On Wednesday, IndiGo’s on-time efficiency crashed to 19.7% – a steep fall from its industry-leading reliability.
When will it enhance?
IndiGo has sought time until February 10, 2026 to totally stabilise operations, and has begun slicing flights over the following few days to include the injury. It has apologized repeatedly and urged passengers to test flight standing earlier than leaving residence, carry important provides, and contemplate versatile or refundable bookings.
As strain mounts, pilots have urged DGCA to approve schedules solely after airways show enough crew energy – making certain safety-driven insurance policies don’t get undermined by business overreach.
IndiGo, which carried 118 million passengers final monetary 12 months, is now confronting a harsh fact: high-frequency, low-cost dominance and aggressive scaling are incompatible with tighter fatigue-control norms except staffing grows proportionately.
For now, the skies stay turbulent – and India’s largest airline faces the hardest operational problem in its historical past.
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