IndiGo faces major crisis as over 550 flights cancelled, marking worst disruption in 20 years

In an unprecedented disruption for India’s largest airline, IndiGo scrapped over 550 flights on Thursday — its highest single-day cancellations in two decades. This is the third straight day of major operational turmoil, with the carrier grappling simultaneously with crew shortages, tech glitches, and winter-season congestion.

IndiGo, which operates around 2,300 flights daily, has admitted to misjudging crew requirements under the newly revised Flight Duty Time Limitations, or FDTL, norms. The airline reported an on-time performance of just 19.7 percent on Wednesday, a steep drop from Tuesday’s 35 percent. Major airports saw widespread cancellations, including Mumbai with 118 flights affected, Bangalore with 100, Hyderabad with 75, and Kolkata with 35.

Top officials push for immediate action

Top officials from the Civil Aviation Ministry and the DGCA met IndiGo leadership today to review the crisis and push for immediate corrective measures. IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers addressed employees, warning that restoring punctuality will not be an “easy target.”

The airline says transitional difficulties in implementing Phase 2 of the FDTL norms have significantly increased crew requirements, especially for night operations. As a temporary relief measure, certain duty restrictions were rolled back. More cancellations are expected in the next two to three days as IndiGo works to stabilise operations.