The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has called IndiGo executives for a meeting as the airline continues to grapple with widespread disruptions that have triggered over 100 flight cancellations and numerous delays nationwide. The aviation regulator is currently examining the operational troubles affecting India’s largest carrier. On Thursday morning alone, Delhi airport saw 30 flight cancellations, while Kolkata reported four. Additionally, 24 IndiGo flights in Kolkata — 10 arrivals and 14 departures, including two international services to Singapore and Siem Reap — were delayed due to operational issues. The situation has intensified the pressure on IndiGo to stabilise its schedules and restore normalcy for passengers.
A day earlier, the airline had scrapped more than 100 flights and delayed many others across major airports amid a severe manpower crunch. Cancellations were highest in Bengaluru (42), followed by Delhi (38), Mumbai (33) and Hyderabad (19). The carrier had already recorded 1,232 cancellations in November along with substantial delays. IndiGo, which operates roughly 2,300 flights daily, attributed the recent disruptions to a “combination of unexpected operational challenges”, apologising to affected travellers. The airline cited minor tech issues, winter-related adjustments, bad weather, increased air traffic congestion, and the introduction of new crew rostering rules — factors that collectively overwhelmed its system.
Amid the turmoil, the Federation of India Pilots (FIP) criticised IndiGo’s hiring pause and its “unconventional” lean staffing approach, blaming these policies for the present crisis. The pilot association said that despite having two years to prepare for the full rollout of revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), IndiGo imposed a hiring freeze, engaged in non-poaching pacts, kept pilot pay stagnant, and made other short-sighted decisions.
Another pilots’ group, ALPA India, urged the DGCA to evaluate whether airlines have sufficient crew strength before approving schedules and allocating slots, especially as carriers transition to the newly introduced Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS). The group noted that the recent disruptions highlight concerns about airline management, regulatory oversight, and overall market fairness. ALPA added that while all airlines were aware of the revised FDTL norms issued in January 2024, many failed to prepare in time or update crew rosters the mandated 15 days ahead. The new rules require increased rest periods to address fatigue, but do not necessarily demand a larger pilot workforce to maintain existing schedules, the body stressed.