IndiGo Faces Major Nationwide Disruptions

IndiGo, India’s largest airline, continued to struggle with severe operational disruptions on Thursday as flight delays and cancellations entered their third consecutive day. Passengers across major airports reported long queues, overcrowded terminals, and little clarity on revised schedules as the airline grappled with widespread shortages of crew and operational challenges.

The disruptions have hit major hubs including Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. The airline acknowledged that its network has been heavily impacted over the past two days due to multiple factors such as technical issues, adverse weather, high airport congestion and the implementation of revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), which came into effect in November.

At Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, more than 30 outgoing flights were cancelled on Thursday, according to media reports. Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport reported 73 IndiGo cancellations, while sources at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport indicated that up to 33 outbound and 35 inbound flights were expected to be cancelled during the day.

Several passengers took to social media to express frustration, citing delays extending up to 12–22 hours, lack of communication and last-minute cancellations that left many stranded overnight.

The airline’s primary challenge appears to be a shortage of crew following the enforcement of updated FDTL rules by India’s aviation regulator, DGCA. The revised norms aim to reduce pilot fatigue by ensuring longer rest periods, stricter night-duty limits and a cap on the number of night landings.

Under the new guidelines, pilots are entitled to a minimum weekly rest of 48 hours and extended definitions of night duty hours. While these regulations enhance safety, they have significantly affected crew availability across airlines, with IndiGo being the most impacted due to its extensive flight network.

As cancellations continue to pile up, passengers are advised to monitor flight notifications closely. IndiGo has assured that it is working to stabilise operations, but delays may persist until crew scheduling improves under the new FDTL framework.