IndiGo struggles with crew shortage, causing 200 flights to be cancelled across India.
India’s busiest airline, IndiGo, is struggling to keep planes in the air. Nearly 200 flights at major airports including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad were cancelled, while scores of others were delayed, leaving passengers stranded and frustrated. On Tuesday, the airline’s on-time performance fell to just 35 per cent, affecting more than 1,400 flights nationwide.
Why flights are delayed
The main reason behind the disruption is a shortage of pilots and cabin crew. New Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules introduced last month limit duty hours and require longer rest periods to prevent fatigue. IndiGo, with its vast network of over 2,200 daily flights, has found it difficult to adjust quickly.
Technical issues, seasonal schedule changes, and bad weather have added to the chaos. Delays have stretched up to eight hours, affecting more than 60 per cent of India’s domestic air travel.
Airports and passengers in turmoil
Airports in Hyderabad and Bengaluru saw long queues of frustrated travellers, while Delhi faced additional delays due to a system glitch affecting check-ins and departures. Mumbai Airport advised passengers to check their flight status before heading out. So far, November has recorded 1,232 flight cancellations, adding to the stress for travellers.
The airline has announced changes to its schedule over the next 48 hours and is offering passengers alternate travel options or refunds. On Wednesday, it cancelled over 200 flights and delayed many others while trying to stabilise operations.
DGCA investigates
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is looking into the disruptions. The regulator has asked IndiGo to explain the reasons for cancellations and delays and present a plan to ease the situation.
A DGCA statement said:
“IndiGo has been asked to report to DGCA, Headquarters, to present the facts leading to the current situation, along with plans to mitigate the ongoing delays & cancellations.”
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