IndiGo Cancellations Trigger Nationwide Travel Turmoil
So, let me walk you through what’s been unfolding across India today, because the situation at airports has honestly turned into one of the most chaotic travel meltdowns the country has seen in years. The trouble really escalated when IndiGo, India’s largest airline, ended up cancelling hundreds of flights after several days of already heavy disruption. With nearly 60–65% of the domestic aviation market depending on this single carrier, the ripple effects have been massive.
All IndiGo flights out of Delhi were cancelled for the day, and similar disruptions were reported across major cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Hyderabad. Thousands of passengers were left stranded—sleeping on airport floors, waiting endlessly at customer service counters, and desperately refreshing flight apps that didn’t seem to update fast enough. Many said that they weren’t even informed properly until the very last minute, which only added to the frustration.
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The core of the issue seems to be a severe pilot shortage triggered by IndiGo’s struggle to adapt to newly enforced flight duty time limitation rules. These rules, introduced to improve crew rest and safety, require longer rest hours and tighter restrictions on night operations. IndiGo clearly underestimated how drastically the new regulations would affect its scheduling. Regulators later said the chaos was caused primarily by “misjudgment and planning gaps,” which the airline also acknowledged.
Some passengers faced not just delays or cancelled trips, but major life disruptions. For example, a newlywed couple from Bengaluru had to attend their own wedding reception virtually because their flight from Bhubaneswar kept getting delayed and was finally cancelled at 4 am. Their families had no choice but to set up a giant screen at the venue in Hubballi so the couple could greet their guests over a video call. Several other passengers across the country described similar last-minute cancellations that derailed important plans.
The aviation minister has expressed clear displeasure with the airline, and the regulator has demanded a detailed recovery plan covering crew recruitment, training, roster redesign, and safety assessments. Local media reports claim IndiGo may have received temporary relief from some of the stricter rest rules, but this hasn’t been officially confirmed.
IndiGo says it expects full normalcy only by 10 February and will reduce its flight operations from 8 December to limit further disruption. In the meantime, the airline has announced that passengers travelling between 5 and 15 December can reschedule or cancel without penalty. Hotels and meals are being arranged for those stuck overnight, though many travellers say they’re still waiting for proper assistance.
For now, airports are urging everyone to check their flight status before leaving home—because with the scale of this disruption, nothing can be taken for granted today.
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