India’s largest airline, IndiGo, continued to struggle for the fifth consecutive day on Saturday, with over 350 flights cancelled across multiple airports. Passengers at major hubs—Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai—reported severe inconvenience, with many waiting overnight for updates.
In the past four days alone, more than 2,000 flights have been cancelled, and on average, around 500 flights per day have been delayed, marking one of the airline’s worst operational disruptions in recent years.
IndiGo stated that operations may take until 15 December to fully stabilise. However, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu criticised the airline, saying that the newly implemented FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitation) norms, enforced from 1 November, did not cause issues for any other carrier. He added that this clearly indicates a lapse on IndiGo’s part. The minister confirmed that an investigation will be conducted and action will be taken if negligence is proven.
Amid the crisis, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted IndiGo and other airlines temporary relief until 10 February 2026, withdrawing the restriction that prevented rostering staff without weekly rest.
The FDTL rules—implemented in two phases, on 1 July and 1 November—aim to enhance passenger safety by ensuring adequate rest for pilots and crew. Due to these norms, IndiGo reportedly faced a significant shortage of flight crew, contributing to the large-scale cancellations and delays.
As the airline works to rebuild schedules and restore normal operations, thousands of passengers across the country remain affected.
