IndiGo, India’s largest airline, is grappling with one of its worst operational disruptions in years, with delays and cancellations reported nationwide. The carrier, which operates over 2,200 daily flights, saw its on-time performance crash to just 35% on Tuesday — indicating that more than 1,400 flights were delayed.
The disruption continued on Wednesday, with nearly 200 flights cancelled across major airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad by afternoon. Mumbai Airport issued an advisory urging passengers to check their flight status before leaving home. IndiGo had already cancelled 1,232 flights in November.
Crew Shortage After New Duty Rules
A severe crew shortage triggered by recently revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms has been cited as a key cause. The updated rules mandate more rest hours, stricter rosters and a cap on daily, weekly and monthly flying hours — leaving IndiGo struggling to realign its vast network.
Sources said several flights were grounded due to lack of cabin crew, while others saw delays of up to eight hours. With IndiGo controlling over 60% of the domestic market, the ripple effect has hit airports across India.
In a statement, IndiGo apologised for the disruptions and attributed the chaos to a “multitude of operational challenges,” including tech glitches, winter schedule changes, weather issues, airspace congestion and the new rostering norms.
FDTL Norms at a Glance
- Max 8 hours flying per day
- 35 hours per week
- 125 hours per month
- 1,000 hours per year
- Mandatory rest twice the flight duration; minimum 10 hours rest in 24 hours
Airports Hit: Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Delhi
Hyderabad’s RGIA reported long queues after 33 IndiGo flights — both arrivals and departures — were cancelled. Bengaluru’s Kempegowda Airport saw 42 cancellations. Multiple routes connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Chennai, Kolkata, Hubli and Bhubaneswar were affected.
At Delhi Airport, a slowdown in the Amadeus check-in system added to the chaos, causing longer queues and delayed processing.
Passengers Vent Online
Travellers expressed anger on social media, reporting missed meetings and last-minute delays. One passenger stranded since 3 a.m. said they were informed of changes “only three minutes before entering the airport.”
IndiGo said it is making “calibrated schedule adjustments” for 48 hours to stabilise operations, and is offering refunds or alternate travel options to affected passengers.
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