India’s largest airline, IndiGo, is facing one of its most turbulent operational weeks as more than 250 flights were cancelled on Thursday, extending the disruptions that began a day earlier. The airline has been struggling to cope with new crew rostering norms, technical glitches, and mounting congestion at major airports across the country. On Wednesday alone, at least 150 flights were cancelled as the carrier announced “calibrated adjustments” to stabilise operations over a 48-hour period.
The scale of disruption was evident in IndiGo’s plummeting on-time performance, which dropped to just 19.7% on Wednesday—down from 35% the previous day—according to data from the civil aviation ministry. Airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru saw the highest impact, with 33 flights cancelled from Delhi, 85 from Mumbai, 68 from Hyderabad and 73 from Bengaluru on Thursday. Travellers reported missed connections, long queues and chaotic check-in experiences as baggage systems at Delhi’s Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 encountered additional failures.
The latest wave of cancellations stems largely from the implementation of revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), which were rolled out in phases on July 1 and November 1. The new norms aim to improve pilot rest periods and reduce fatigue by extending mandatory breaks, lengthening designated night hours, and sharply reducing permitted night landings. While the aviation regulator considers these changes essential for safety, the rules have significantly tightened crew availability, leaving airlines with far less room to absorb delays or technical disruptions.
IndiGo’s situation was worsened by an emergency software patch for its Airbus A320 fleet that was deployed between November 29 and 30. The update disrupted crew scheduling systems at a time when the airline was already operating with limited flexibility due to the stricter FDTL norms. According to DGCA data, IndiGo had already cancelled 1,232 flights in November, with 755 of those directly linked to duty-time limitations. The airline’s OTP fell from 84.1% in October to 67.7% last month, signalling deepening operational stress.
IndiGo said it is offering affected passengers refunds or alternative travel options and is working “around the clock” to stabilise its network. However, the airline has not provided an updated statement on Thursday’s cancellations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has summoned IndiGo leadership to explain the unfolding disruption and present a mitigation plan.
With a fleet of 416 aircraft, of which 50 were grounded as of December 2, IndiGo operates between 2,200 and 2,300 flights daily across more than 90 domestic and 45 international destinations. Analysts believe the airline’s dominant share of night-time operations makes it particularly vulnerable under the new FDTL regime, which imposes stricter fatigue-management limits during late-hour flying.
The Airline Pilots Association of India criticised the continuing disruptions as evidence of inadequate resource planning and urged airlines to strengthen staffing strategies to prevent such large-scale breakdowns. As passengers continue to face uncertainty, the immediate challenge for IndiGo remains restoring operational consistency while adapting to regulatory changes designed to prioritise safety.
