Chaos Deepens: IndiGo Cancels Hundreds of Flights Amid Crew Crunch & New Roster Rules, Triggering Third Day of Disruptions

New Delhi: Massive disruption hit India’s aviation network for the third consecutive day as IndiGo cancelled and delayed scores of flights across multiple airports, triggering widespread chaos and forcing aviation regulator DGCA to summon the airline’s senior officials for an emergency meeting on Thursday afternoon.

According to the DGCA, IndiGo has been asked to present a detailed explanation for the “unprecedented nationwide disruption” and to submit an immediate mitigation plan to restore normalcy. A key meeting has also been called at the Civil Aviation Ministry with DGCA and other stakeholders as India’s aviation sector faces intense turbulence.

Mumbai: 85 Flights Cancelled

Operations at the Mumbai airport were severely hit, with 85 IndiGo flights (41 arrivals and 44 departures) cancelled on Thursday, according to the airline’s staff. More cancellations are likely as the day progresses.

Passengers reported long queues, confusion at ticket counters and repeated rescheduling with little clarity from the airline.

Bengaluru: Chaos At Kempegowda

At Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, 42 IndiGo flights were cancelled, a day after nearly 60 cancellations crippled operations.

Massive crowds, serpentine queues and long waiting hours left passengers furious as rebooking options shrank. Several travellers told Republic they received no satisfactory explanation from the airline.

Delhi: 33 Departures Cancelled

At Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), 33 IndiGo departures (domestic and international) were cancelled since morning. Delays continued to stack up through the day as the airline scrambled for crew and available aircraft.

Ahmedabad: 23 Cancelled, 53 Delayed

The Ahmedabad airport also witnessed major disruption with 23 flights cancelled and 53 delayed. Airport authorities described it as one of the “worst operational days in recent years”.

Jammu: Half The Schedule Delayed

IndiGo’s operations faltered even at smaller stations. At Jammu airport, one flight was cancelled, 5 arrivals and 5 departures were delayed and more delays are anticipated through the second half of the day.

IndiGo currently operates 11 flights from Jammu.

‘Failure Of Proactive Planning’: Pilots' Body Blames Airline

The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA) issued a sharp statement, suggesting that the pilot shortage was partly due to poor workforce planning and partly an attempt to pressure the DGCA into diluting the newly imposed Flight Duty Time Limit norms.

“This situation points to a failure of proactive resource planning by dominant airlines, potentially exacerbated by an effort to pressure the regulator to dilute FDTL norms for commercial gain,” ALPA said.

They urged DGCA to consider crew availability before granting airlines new slots, emphasising the shift to a fatigue-risk-based safety system.

“The situation concerning the recent flight cancellations across India allegedly attributed to pilot shortage due to new Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) norms, raises significant questions about the airline's management, regulatory oversight by the DGCA, and market fairness. The core question is whether airlines’ current pilot shortage is due to a failure in planning or a calculated strategy. It is more likely a combination of factors...This situation points to a failure of proactive resource planning by dominant airlines, potentially exacerbated by an effort to pressurise the regulator to dilute the promulgated FDTL norms for commercial gain. ALPA India urges the DGCA to actively consider the adequacy of pilots available with an airline while granting slots and approving their schedules in the spirt of transitioning to the recent concept of Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS),” read a statement issued by the Airline Pilots’ Association of India.

Captain CS Randhawa, President, Federation of Indian Pilots, told ANI, "Indigo operates approximately 2,200 flights all over India... Most of these flight disruptions, cancellations, and delays have been attributable to, firstly, the crew shortage... Secondly, they have been inducting aircraft. It must be appreciated that when you induct an aircraft, you must have an adequate number of crews per aircraft... Thirdly, Indigo pilots were flying about 55 to 57 hours. After 1st November, they offered pilots the option to buy back their leave... The crew rostering of the pilots was totally inappropriate. They did not plan the crews correctly... Lastly, after the second phase of the FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitation), new CARs (Civil Aviation Requirements) came into effect by the order of the Delhi High Court on 1st of November. They immediately approached the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) and sought a variation. We have asked the DGCA how the variation or dispensation was given to Indigo and other airlines, as this CAR had to be implemented... I request the DGCA and the Ministry of Civil Aviation not to grant such dispensations and variations, and to implement the CAR in totality... There are a lot of remedial measures which Indigo has to take..."

IndiGo Says Working Diligently To Normalise Ops

In a statement on Wednesday, IndiGo had said normalcy would take time to restore.

Reacting to several flight delays and cancellations, an IndiGo spokesperson said, “We acknowledge that IndiGo’s operations have been significantly disrupted across the network for the past two days and we sincerely apologize to our customers for the inconvenience caused. A multitude of unforeseen operational challenges including minor technology glitches, schedule changes linked to the winter season, adverse weather conditions, increased congestion in the aviation system and the implementation of updated crew rostering rules (Flight Duty Time Limitations) had a negative compounding impact on our operations in a way that was not feasible to be anticipated.”

The spokesperson added, “To contain the disruption and restore stability, we have initiated calibrated adjustments to our schedules. These measures will remain in place for the next 48 hours and will allow us to normalize our operations and progressively recover our punctuality across the network. Our teams are working around the clock to ease customer discomfort and ensure operations stabilize as quickly as possible. Furthermore, the affected customers are being offered alternate travel arrangements to reach their destinations or refunds, as applicable..."

Aviation Sector Under Strain

The crisis comes at a time when Air India is already battling operational inconsistencies and staffing turbulence. Together, the twin blows have raised concerns of a sector-wide collapse in punctuality, safety oversight and service capacity.

IndiGo alone cancelled 130 flights on Wednesday, while dozens more were delayed as disruptions spilled into Thursday.

Regulator Steps In

The DGCA said it is investigating the cause of the crisis and has sought:

• Detailed reasons for the spike in cancellations
• A corrective action plan
• Steps to prevent a recurrence
• Senior IndiGo officials have been directed to appear before the aviation regulator at noon today.

Passengers Struggle Amid Nationwide Breakdown

With many airports reporting queues stretching outside terminals, passengers voiced anger over lack of information, repeated cancellations and unresponsive customer support.

Republic will bring live passenger reactions, WhatsApp inputs, and on-ground updates from affected airports as the aviation crisis unfolds. More details awaited.