Why are IndiGo Flights Being Cancelled Across the Country? The Story Behind This Major Crisis

IndiGo flight cancellations news: India's largest airline IndiGo is going through a difficult phase. IndiGo's troubles have put its passengers in great difficulty. Many of the airline's flights have been cancelled, while most are operating with delays. This has led to frequent scenes of altercations between passengers and airline staff at airports. Given the current situation, it does not seem that IndiGo's troubles will end soon. But the question arises, how did IndiGo get caught in this vortex of trouble?

IndiGo's Argument

In the last four days, more than a thousand IndiGo flights have been cancelled. Delhi, Bengaluru, Pune, and Hyderabad have been the most affected. Hundreds of passengers are stranded at airports. They are having heated arguments with airline staff. The government is also serious about this issue. The DGCA has asked IndiGo to normalise the situation as soon as possible. A progress report has also been sought every 15 days. IndiGo states that the situation has arisen due to overlooking operational challenges, including minor technical glitches, changes in the winter schedule, congestion, and weather. However, there is another side to the story.

New Rules

Aviation experts say that the root cause of IndiGo's problems is the implementation of the Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL). FDTL emphasises providing adequate rest to crew members and pilots to ensure passenger safety. According to a Hindustan Times report, the new rules mandate 48 hours of continuous rest after 7 days of work, compared to 36 hours previously. The number of night landings has been reduced from 6 to 2. A limit of 8 hours of flying has been set during night operations. Additionally, night duty is now defined as being between 12 AM and 6 AM.

Indigo's Biggest Mistake

Due to these rules, a large number of IndiGo pilots have had to go on rest. The new rules were introduced in 2024, but the airline requested their phased implementation. The first phase was implemented in July, and the second on November 1. However, IndiGo did not prepare accordingly. IndiGo knew that a significant number of pilots would be on rest due to the new rules and that it would require additional pilots, but the airline did not expedite new recruitments.

Pilot Union Alleges

IndiGo operates over 2,200 flights daily, double that of Air India. In such a scenario, a small oversight can lead to major trouble, which is exactly what is happening with IndiGo. On Friday alone, 135 IndiGo flights were cancelled in Delhi. In Bengaluru, this number was 50, and in Hyderabad, it was 92. Across the country, over 600 flights were cancelled in just 48 hours. Meanwhile, the pilot union claims that IndiGo management ignored warnings and failed to prepare a staffing roster.

Others Prepared Better

The union states that despite knowing that new rules were coming, hiring was put on hold for a long time. The correct strategy was not implemented in the pursuit of cost reduction. The Federation of Indian Pilots says that other airlines have prepared better compared to IndiGo, and the new rules have not significantly impacted them. The Federation has criticised IndiGo, as well as the DGCA, for approving the winter schedule without considering pilot availability.

When Will the Situation Improve?

Some aviation experts also believe that this situation has been deliberately created to seek leniency in FDTL rules. It is difficult to say when the situation will normalise. However, IndiGo has requested time until February 10, 2026, to fully rectify its operations. It has also started reducing flights for the next few days to minimise losses. IndiGo is the largest airline in the country, and such a situation could create future difficulties for it.