India's aviation sector has been thrown into disarray as IndiGo, the country's largest airline, grapples with massive operational disruptions, leaving hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded across major airports. The crisis, unfolding over several days, stems primarily from a severe shortage of pilots and cabin crew, forcing the airline to cancel and delay scores of flights.
Airports Descend into Chaos as Flights Grounded
The scale of the disruption became starkly evident this week. Since Tuesday, the airline has been cancelling over 100 flights daily. The situation peaked on Wednesday when more than 200 IndiGo flights were grounded, with reported delays stretching to an agonising 10 hours for some travellers. Airports in Delhi, Pune, and Kolkata transformed into scenes of frustration and confusion.
Passengers took to social media to voice their distress. At Pune airport, one commuter highlighted the gridlock, stating an Akasa Air flight to Delhi had been standing at the hanger for two hours due to the IndiGo-related chaos. In Delhi, passengers aboard flight 6E6189 were left sitting inside the aircraft for over an hour after boarding, with no crew available to provide answers or commence the journey. From Kolkata, another weary traveller lamented the long wait for a Delhi flight, calling the hardship imposed by flight companies "very unfortunate."
Airline Points to "Calibrated Adjustments" and Crew Constraints
Facing mounting criticism, IndiGo issued a response on Wednesday evening. The airline stated it had initiated "calibrated adjustments" to its flight schedule over the next 48 hours. This move, it claimed, was aimed at normalising operations and recovering its famed punctuality. However, industry sources pinpointed crew shortages as the undeniable root cause of the cancellations.
The data underscores the severity of the crew crisis. A staggering 62% of the 1,232 flights IndiGo cancelled in November were attributed directly to crew constraints. This shortage has been exacerbated by revised crew duty norms implemented by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) from November 1. The new regulations increased mandatory pilot requirements per flight, putting immense strain on the airline's existing human resources.
Widespread Impact and Operational Challenges
The fallout from these disruptions is widespread. The list of challenges faced by passengers includes:
- Last-minute flight cancellations with unclear rebooking options.
- Extended onboard delays due to missing cabin crew members.
- Mounting frustration and financial inconvenience for business and leisure travellers alike.
This incident highlights the fragile balance within India's rapidly growing aviation market. While demand for air travel is soaring, airlines are struggling with infrastructure and manpower challenges. IndiGo's current predicament serves as a stark reminder that operational resilience is crucial to maintaining passenger trust and smooth sector growth. The next 48 hours will be critical in determining how swiftly the airline can restore normalcy and mitigate the inconvenience caused to lakhs of flyers.
