Monday, December 8, 2025
Why IndiGo Cancelled Hundreds of Flights: Full Breakdown of India’s Biggest Airline Crisis
India’s largest airline, IndiGo, continued to face major travel disruptions on Monday, with more than 350 flights cancelled across airports nationwide. This marks the seventh day of a crisis that India has never experienced at such a large scale.
Mass Cancellations Across Major Airports
Many airports saw heavy disruption:
➤ Delhi: 134 cancellations (75 departures, 59 arrivals)
➤ Bengaluru: 127 cancellations. Trending: Two Saudi brothers go to court for the right to care for their mother
➤ Chennai: 71 cancellations
➤ Hyderabad: 77 cancellations
➤ Jammu: 20 cancellations
➤ Ahmedabad: 20 cancellations
➤ Vizag: 7 cancellations
Other major airports, including Mumbai and Kolkata, also faced significant operational issues.
By 10:30 am Indian time, the total known cancellations had reached 456.
On Sunday, IndiGo had cancelled more than 650 flights, down from over 1,000 cancellations two days earlier. The airline has already processed Rs 610 crore worth of ticket refunds, according to officials.
Why the Crisis Happened
IndiGo said the main cause was a shortage of cockpit crew after the government fully enforced the new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules. These rules control pilot rest and working hours.
Upon complete implementation of the rules, the airline encountered a sudden shortage of available pilots, resulting in massive cancellations and chaos at major airports.
Because of the growing crisis, the government has now stayed (paused) the rule and expects IndiGo to return to normal operations by December 10. Most Viewed: Ministry of Commerce sets 500 riyals fine for not submitting beneficial owner information
Government Actions and Investigations
The DGCA (Director General of Civil Aviation) issued show-cause notices to IndiGo’s CEO Pieter Elbers and Accountable Manager Isidro Porqueras. Both were given a 24-hour extension, until 6 pm on Monday, to submit their explanations for the disruptions.
The Civil Aviation Ministry has taken several steps, including
🔘 Capping airfares
🔘 Ordering IndiGo to speed up ticket refunds
🔘 Starting a high-level inquiry into the crisis
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the airline is responsible for the situation and noted that the pilot duty rule was announced a year earlier.
Current Status of Refunds and Baggage
The ministry reported that IndiGo has:
■ Processed Rs 610 crore in refunds
■ Delivered 3,000 pieces of baggage to affected passengers as of Saturday
The government had previously given the airline a strict deadline to complete refunds for all impacted travelers.
IndiGo’s Response
The airline says it is still examining the root cause of the situation, which it claims was triggered by multiple factors working together, not just one issue. Read: Visiting Riyadhul Jannah new schedules
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| Why IndiGo Cancelled Hundreds of Flights Full Breakdown of India’s Biggest Airline Crisis |
