Whats behind IndiGos massive nationwide flight cancellations and delays | Details

New Delhi: IndiGo, the airline that usually carries nearly two out of every three domestic flyers in India, is battling one of its most severe operational breakdowns in recent years. A combination of acute staffing shortages, airport-specific bottlenecks and a peak-season travel surge has pushed its network into prolonged delays and large-scale cancellations across several major cities.

Government data released on Tuesday, December 2nd, showed that only about 35 per cent of IndiGo’s more than 2,200 daily flights operated on time. By Wednesday afternoon, close to 200 flights had been cancelled across major airports, including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. Airport officials described the situation as increasingly difficult to manage, with the disruption spilling over into other airlines’ operations as well.

The heart of the crisis lies in a significant shortage of pilots and cabin crew, a problem that has intensified since new flight duty time limitation norms came into force last month. The updated rules mandate more humane rostering standards for crew members, which many in the sector welcomed but which have also diminished the flexibility airlines previously relied on to maintain high-volume schedules.

Operational staff at several airports said that some IndiGo flights had to be grounded entirely because no cabin crew were available to operate them. They added that the airline had been shuttling crew between bases in an attempt to keep the network running, but the shortage had reached a point where routine workarounds were no longer sufficient. Delays of seven to eight hours were reported on some routes, further worsening the cascading effect across the airline’s tightly packed schedule.

IndiGo, in a statement, acknowledged that it had been dealing with widespread delays and a number of cancellations in recent days. It attributed the disruption to a mix of technology problems, airport congestion and operational requirements. The airline said teams were working to restore normal operations and that affected passengers were being offered alternative flight options or refunds. It also urged flyers to check the latest status of their journeys before travelling to the airport.

The timing of the disruption could not be worse. India is currently witnessing one of the busiest travel periods of the year, with domestic passenger numbers exceeding five lakh a day. IndiGo holds more than 60 per cent of this market. With roughly two thirds of its flights delayed on a single day, the ripple effect has been felt nationwide, stretching airport infrastructure and increasing passenger wait times.

Localised issues have added to the strain. At Delhi Airport on Wednesday, for example, an IndiGo baggage messaging system malfunction led to chaos at the retrieval belts, further delaying passengers already affected by flight disruptions.