IndiGo Cancels 650 Flights as Nationwide Disruptions Continue; Operations Expected to Stabilise by December 10

In its latest update, IndiGo said it operated 1,650 flights today, compared to the usual 2,300. The airline also reported an improvement in on-time performance, which rose to 75%, up from approximately 30% the previous day.

DGCA Issues Show-Cause Notice

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo’s accountable manager, citing “significant lapses in planning, oversight, and resource management.” The regulator has given the airline 24 hours to respond.

A DGCA inquiry committee has also been formed to investigate the disruptions. The four-member panel will review crew planning, operational readiness, and compliance with new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules. Findings are expected within 15 days.

Airports Across India Face Major Disruptions

Passengers in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Amritsar continued to face delays and cancellations.

• Delhi Airport: 109 flights cancelled

• Mumbai Airport: 112 flights cancelled

• Hyderabad Airport: Over 100 flights cancelled

• Chennai Airport: 38 departures cancelled

Delhi’s IGI Airport advised travellers to check flight status before leaving for the airport to avoid additional inconvenience.

Government Steps In

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said the government is monitoring the situation closely. Temporary exemptions have been granted to IndiGo on certain FDTL norms until February 2026 to ease operational bottlenecks.

The Civil Aviation Ministry has also capped airfares temporarily on certain routes to prevent price surges triggered by capacity shortages.
Fares have been capped at:

• ₹7,500 for routes under 500 km

• ₹12,000 for 500–1,000 km

• ₹15,000 for 1,000–1,500 km

• ₹18,000 for routes above 1,500 km

Railways Deploy Special Trains

To support travellers affected by flight disruptions, Indian Railways has announced 89 special trains across multiple zones. Additional coaches are being attached to existing trains on high-demand routes including Delhi, Mumbai, Howrah, Chennai, Patna, and Bengaluru.

The Northeast Frontier Railway has added additional special trains between Dibrugarh–New Delhi and Guwahati–Howrah.

IndiGo’s Latest Statement

IndiGo said its Board of Directors met on the day the disruptions began and formed a Crisis Management Group to monitor the situation. The group includes senior board members and the CEO.

The airline said refund processing and baggage delivery for disrupted passengers are “in full action.” The aviation ministry directed IndiGo to complete all refunds for cancelled flights by 8 pm on Sunday and deliver misplaced baggage within the next two days.

When Will Operations Normalize?

IndiGo said it expects network stabilization by December 10, earlier than the previously estimated window of December 10–15.
CEO Pieter Elbers acknowledged that it will “take some time” to return to full normalcy given the scale of the network.

The disruptions began after IndiGo reportedly failed to adequately manage crew availability under the revised duty time regulations, leading to a shortage of pilots and cascading cancellations.