IndiGo cancellations, delays continue; regulator summons airline officials

New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has called IndiGo representatives for a meeting as the airline grapples with major operational disruptions that have triggered over 100 flight cancellations and numerous delays nationwide. The aviation regulator is currently examining the issues affecting India’s biggest carrier. On Thursday morning alone, Delhi airport saw 30 cancellations, while Kolkata reported four. Kolkata also witnessed delays in 24 IndiGo flights—10 arrivals and 14 departures—including two international services to Singapore and Siem Reap in Cambodia. These developments add to the mounting pressure on IndiGo to get its operations back on track as passengers across the country face persistent chaos.

A day earlier, the airline grounded more than 100 flights and delayed several others across major airports due to what sources described as a severe manpower crunch. Delhi saw 38 cancellations on Wednesday, followed by Bengaluru (42), Mumbai (33), and Hyderabad (19). IndiGo had already recorded 1,232 cancellations in November, besides several delayed services. The carrier, which runs nearly 2,300 flights daily on domestic and international routes, attributed the turmoil to a combination of unexpected operational setbacks. These included minor tech-related issues, winter schedule shifts, weather disruptions, high congestion, and the introduction of updated crew rostering norms. IndiGo said these factors created a ripple effect that was “impossible to foresee,” and apologised to travellers.

The Federation of India Pilots (FIP), however, criticised the airline for its hiring freeze and what it termed an “unusually lean” staffing model, alleging these decisions were at the heart of the current disruption. The pilot body said IndiGo had ample time to prepare for the full rollout of the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules but instead chose not to recruit, entered non-poaching pacts, kept pilot salaries stagnant, and followed other “short-sighted” strategies.

Another pilot association, ALPA India, has urged the DGCA to scrutinise the pilot strength of airlines while approving slots and schedules, especially as carriers transition to the new Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS). The group said the recent wave of cancellations has raised serious concerns about airline planning, regulatory effectiveness, and market fairness. While the new FDTL rules—issued in January 2024—were known to all airlines well in advance and introduced in phases, many carriers, including IndiGo, delayed internal adjustments and did not revise rosters at least 15 days ahead, as required. ALPA added that although the updated norms increase pilot rest hours and impose stricter fatigue measures, they do not inherently demand a larger pilot workforce to sustain existing schedules.