India's largest airline, IndiGo, is grappling with a severe operational breakdown that escalated dramatically on Friday. Data from the Civil Aviation Ministry revealed a staggering collapse in its on-time performance (OTP) at six major metro airports to a mere 8.5%. This sharp decline marks the fourth consecutive day of widespread travel chaos, leaving thousands of passengers stranded across the country.
Widespread Cancellations and Passenger Anguish
The crisis intensified as the airline was forced to cancel all departing flights from Chennai airport until 6 pm and suspend all departures from Delhi Airport until midnight. This followed massive disruptions a day earlier, where IndiGo scrapped more than 550 domestic and international flights. On Friday alone, cancellations crossed the 400 mark, according to PTI reports.
A city-wise breakdown of Friday's cancellations included:
- 118 in Mumbai
- 100 in Bengaluru
- 75 in Hyderabad
- 35 in Kolkata
- 26 in Chennai
- 11 in Goa
Airports have been overwhelmed, with scenes of frustration becoming commonplace. Passengers reported being stranded for days without proper assistance, complaining of no food, water, vacant counters, and missing luggage. Delays exceeding 12 hours were reported at key hubs like Pune, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Goa, leading to severe congestion.
Regulatory Intervention and Root Causes
With IndiGo commanding roughly 65% of India's domestic market, the disruption has begun affecting the entire aviation ecosystem. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has now intervened, directing the airline to submit a detailed corrective action plan. This roadmap must cover pilot hiring, training timelines, roster restructuring, and safety assessments. IndiGo is now mandated to file a progress report to the regulator every 15 days.
In response, IndiGo has assured the DGCA that "normalized and stable operations will be fully restored by 10 February 2026." The airline, which operates over 400 aircraft and runs more than 2,300 daily flights, was recently awarded "Best Airline in India and South Asia" at the 2025 Skytrax Awards.
The Pilot Shortage and Scheduling Mismatch
The core of the crisis appears to be a significant mismatch between flight schedules and available crew. Data shows IndiGo had 2,357 captains and 2,194 first officers available for December. However, crew requirements have surged since the second phase of the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules took effect. The requirement in November jumped to 2,422 captains and 2,153 first officers, up from 2,186 captains and 1,948 first officers in October.
Compounding the issue, the updated FDTL norms limit night landings per pilot, severely impacting night operations. Simultaneously, the airline increased its domestic flight count by 6% in the winter schedule starting 26 October, from 14,158 to 15,014 weekly flights. This combination of expanded schedules, stricter crew duty rules, and a relative pilot shortage has created an unsustainable operational crunch, resulting in mass cancellations and soaring airfares for distressed passengers.
