NEW DELHI, INDIA – Major Indian airports were thrown into chaos on Friday as IndiGo, the country’s largest airline, faced widespread flight cancellations and delays due to newly enforced rules limiting crew and pilot working hours. Passengers were left stranded, sleeping on airport floors, waiting in long lines at customer service counters, and receiving little clear information from the airline.
This marked the fourth consecutive day of disruptions as IndiGo struggled to comply with regulations aimed at improving safety by mandating longer rest periods and limiting night flying hours. The first phase of the rules took effect in July, followed by a second phase in November, which caught the airline unprepared and led to widespread schedule disruptions. On Thursday alone, more than 300 flights were grounded, with hundreds more delayed. A passenger advisory from Delhi airport confirmed that all domestic IndiGo flights would remain canceled until midnight. Other carriers, including Air India, were largely unaffected.
IndiGo operates roughly 2,300 flights daily, controlling nearly 65% of India’s domestic aviation market. Passengers like senior citizen Sajal Bose, who was scheduled to fly from Kolkata to New Delhi, were forced to take alternative travel, including nine-hour train rides, due to last-minute cancellations.
In an internal communication, CEO Pieter Elbers apologized to employees, citing technology glitches, schedule adjustments, adverse weather, congestion, and the implementation of the new regulations as factors contributing to the disruptions. The Civil Aviation Ministry said the disruptions were largely due to planning gaps as the airline implemented phase two of the rules and acknowledged that crew availability fell short of expectations.
IndiGo has requested temporary exemptions while working on corrective measures and expects operations to return to normal by February 10. The airline also announced it will reduce flight operations starting December 8 to minimize further disruptions over the coming weeks.