Why IndiGo has delayed, cancelled hundreds of flights

Major airports crossed the state descended into turmoil as IndiGo’s formation delays and cancellations continued to equine for the 4th consecutive day. With respective 100 flights either delayed oregon cancelled, passengers person been near scrambling. Even arsenic the hose issued an apology to customers and stakeholders, saying it “remains focused connected streamlining its operations astatine the earliest,” implicit 400 IndiGo flights were reportedly cancelled connected Friday (December 5, 2025) crossed respective airports. On Thursday, the airline’s on-time show astatine six metro airports dropped to 8.5%.  

What is causing the formation delays/cancellations?

Issuing respective statements implicit the past fewer days, IndiGo has blamed respective factors for the wide delays and cancellations. On Wednesday, the hose said “minor exertion glitches, docket changes linked to the wintertime season, adverse upwind conditions, accrued congestion successful the aviation strategy and the implementation of updated unit rostering rules (FDTL) had a antagonistic compounding interaction connected our operations successful a mode that was not feasible to beryllium anticipated.”

This situation though, was weeks successful the making. As reported by The Hindu earlier, the airline’s skewed aviator readying and rostering, triggered by the afloat implementation of the stricter remainder and work norms from November 1, has led to ongoing question chaos.

The caller norms for aviator remainder and work hours — Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) — framed to combat concerns implicit mounting fatigue, against which airlines waged a two-year-long battle, were to beryllium implemented successful 2 phases arsenic per a Delhi High Court bid successful April 2025. While a ample fig of provisions, including raising of play remainder hours from 36 to 48 hours, were rolled retired from July 1, the remaining provisions restricting the utilisation of pilots during nighttime hours were to beryllium implemented from November 1. The authorities had allowed airlines this further clip to assistance program their unit request arsenic they had warned of wide formation cancellations.

“It is since the implementation of the second that the hose has been grappling with shortages and making requests to pilots to cancel their leaves. But a brewing unrest for past galore years means pilots are successful nary temper to co-operate. Being pushed to the precocious bounds of 13 hours of work play allowed nether DGCA norms, nary wage hikes contempt profits to the tune of ₹7,000 crore being posted by the airline, combined with the latest furore implicit the hose twisting the meaning of the caller norms connected aviator work hours to its advantage. had angered them deeply,” The Hindu’s Jagriti Chandra had reported.

In a gathering with Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and Faiz Kidwai, caput of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), apical IndiGo officials connected Thursday (December 4), blamed “misjudgement and readying gaps” for the existent situation. Further successful a missive to his employees, IndiGo’s CEO Pieter Elbers explained that “given the size, standard and complexity of our network, these disruptions turn ample instantly and necessitate interventions connected aggregate levels”, which was being done.

When volition mean operations resume?

The hose connected Thursday had informed Civil Aviation Minister, and the DGCA Chief that it would curtail flights from December 8 to minimise formation disruptions, and delays and cancellations volition proceed for the adjacent 2 to 3 days.

IndiGo has besides sought exemption from implementing the norms connected reduced nighttime flying hours until February 10. The regulator has said it volition reappraisal this request from the airline.