A crew shortage led IndiGo to cancel hundreds of flights this week, causing major disruption across its network. The airline told the regulator it expects normal operations by 10 February and sought relief from night-duty limits as cancellations reached 550.
IndiGo’s flight troubles stretched into a fourth day, with multiple early morning Delhi–Pune flights shown as cancelled on the airline’s website. Thiruvananthapuram Airport also faced disruptions, reporting two cancellations and delays affecting four additional IndiGo services.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said IndiGo’s disruptions stemmed from planning lapses and incorrect assessments during Phase 2 of the Flight Duty Time Limitations rollout. The regulator added that the airline later acknowledged its actual crew requirement was higher than initially projected.
IndiGo issued a formal apology to passengers and industry stakeholders, recognising the widespread disruption caused across its network. The airline emphasised its dedication to quickly restoring normal operations and bringing schedules back to stable and reliable service levels.
The government confirmed it will closely monitor IndiGo’s recovery, overseeing all passenger support measures until operations stabilise fully. Authorities emphasised that ensuring smooth and reliable flight services remains a top priority during the ongoing restoration process.
Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu convened a high-level meeting to evaluate the ongoing IndiGo disruptions. He instructed the airline to restore stable operations promptly and highlighted that ticket prices should remain unaffected during the recovery period.
Further cancellations are expected as IndiGo plans to temporarily scale back operations from 8 December, according to PTI, following talks with the DGCA. The move aims to limit disruptions while crew availability improves.
Meanwhile, Pilot associations criticised IndiGo’s planning. The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA) highlighted poor resource forecasting and warned against easing duty rules, while the Federation of Indian Pilots noted the airline froze hiring despite having two years to prepare.
