IndiGo, one of India's largest airlines, is facing severe operational turmoil for the fourth consecutive day, leading to the cancellation of more than 500 flights on Thursday. This massive disruption has stranded thousands of passengers, sparking widespread anger and frustration across social media platforms.
A Wedding Derailed by Flight Chaos
The human cost of the crisis was starkly highlighted by Amit Kumar Gupta, founder of Fintrekk Capital. He shared how the wedding of a distant relative had to be postponed due to the airline's failures. A group of 48 guests traveling from Delhi to Goa on the same IndiGo flight saw their journey repeatedly delayed before it was ultimately cancelled.
With peak-season bookings in Goa typically non-refundable, the family was issued only a credit note valid for the next 24 months. "The wedding has now been shifted to the NCR next month due to the lack of available venues in December," Gupta stated. The family had booked a five-star hotel from December 4 to 7 at approximately ₹35,000 per night, with additional event management costs of ₹15–20 lakh, bringing the total estimated expense to between ₹16.4 and ₹21.4 lakh.
Passenger Outcry and Systemic Failure
Gupta criticized IndiGo for its lack of foresight and advance communication, calling the situation "astonishing." He also expressed dissatisfaction with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), describing its inquiry as "useless" and unlikely to prevent significant losses of time, money, and energy for affected travelers. He called for urgent government intervention, strict penalties for IndiGo's management, and the handover of operations to an independent professional team.
Gupta further warned that the ripple effects of the airline's operational cuts could lead to sharply higher airfares for all travelers in the coming months, even those without immediate plans. He cited his own experience where a return flight booked on Black Friday for a March 2026 vacation had doubled in price within a week.
Social Media Erupts with Passenger Stories
The crisis has triggered a flood of complaints from stranded passengers. Pratik Agarwal reported learning of a cancellation just three hours before departure, with no refunds available due to non-functional links. Another user, Ratan Mehta, shared that his son's wedding was impacted when a flight from Bangalore to Jodhpur was cancelled on December 4, forcing last-minute rebookings at high costs and leaving many guests unable to attend.
While one social media user urged patience, suggesting the disruption might be a blessing in disguise, Gupta countered by emphasizing the financial reality of non-refundable peak-season arrangements.
Root Cause and Road to Recovery
The DGCA, after meeting with IndiGo officials, identified the root cause as planning errors and miscalculations during the rollout of Phase 2 of the new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) for crew. IndiGo admitted its actual crew requirement was higher than originally planned. The airline has informed the regulator that it expects operations to stabilize by February 10 and has sought temporary relaxation of rules restricting pilots' night-time duty hours.
On Thursday, IndiGo issued a "heartfelt apology" to passengers and partners, assuring them that it is working urgently to restore normal services. However, with the airline's on-time performance reportedly as low as 8.5% on the day, passenger confidence remains severely shaken.
