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Mass flight cancellations strand thousands across India
India's largest airline, IndiGo, grounded hundreds of flights on Friday, deepening travel chaos during the country's peak holiday period. The carrier, which operates over 2,000 daily flights and holds a 60% domestic market share, has struggled with a pilot shortage after failing to adjust to new crew rest regulations.
Root cause: New rostering rules and planning failures
IndiGo attributed the disruptions to "misjudgment and planning gaps" in implementing updated flight duty time limitations, according to India's aviation regulator. The rules, designed to improve pilot rest, reduced mandatory night-time landings from six to two per week and imposed stricter rest periods. The regulator ordered IndiGo to submit an immediate plan addressing crew recruitment, training, and safety-risk assessments.
Passenger fallout and airline response
All IndiGo flights from Delhi were canceled, leaving thousands stranded nationwide. The airline announced it would scale back operations from 8 December to minimize further disruptions and waive cancellation fees for bookings between 5 and 15 December. It also pledged to arrange hotels and meals for affected passengers, though many reported receiving no updates or assistance at airports.
"I was lost for words," said Singapore's High Commissioner to India, Simon Wong, who missed a staff member's wedding after being stranded at Delhi airport.
Government and union criticism
The federal aviation minister expressed "clear displeasure" over IndiGo's handling of the crisis, while the Airline Pilots Association of India condemned any regulatory relief granted to the airline. The union argued that easing duty-time rules "gravely compromises passenger safety" and undermines the intent of the new regulations.
Local media reported that IndiGo secured a temporary waiver from the rest rules and relaxed restrictions on combining pilot leave with weekly rest, though the BBC could not independently verify these claims.
Recovery timeline and industry impact
IndiGo expects operations to return to normal by 10 February but warned of continued disruptions in the interim. Major airports in Delhi, Mumbai, and other cities issued advisories urging passengers to confirm flight statuses before traveling. December's travel surge-driven by school holidays and wedding season-has exacerbated the crisis, with stranded travelers venting frustration on social media over poor communication and inadequate support.
