IndiGo apologises as 85 flights cancelled, chaos at Delhi, Mumbai airports

Pandemonium unfolded at several airports as at least 85 flights, including 38 in Delhi and 33 in Mumbai, were cancelled by one of India’s premier carriers, IndiGo, due to multiple factors such as crew shortages, technical issues, and airport congestion.
The inconvenience faced by thousands of fliers and the ensuing backlash prompted IndiGo to issue an apology, stating, "We acknowledge that IndiGo’s operations have been significantly disrupted across the network for the past two days, and we sincerely apologise to our customers for the inconvenience caused."
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Social media was replete with videos showing angry passengers arguing with staff over the cancellations, with many taking to X to express their anguish and tag Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu.
"Absolute chaos and mockery at Delhi Airport," wrote a flyer who was stranded for over seven hours.
"#Indigo staff are leeches who are lying & passengers are stranded since past 12+ hours with no confirmatiom. My flight is delayed for 7+ hours now. Never flying Indigo again. This needs to be investigated," he said.
"Deeply unfortunate to see #Ayyappadevotees forced to protest at Hyderabad Airport after @IndiGo6E failed to address hours-long delays. Passengers deserve clarity, and responsible service. Hope the authorities take immediate action," wrote one user on X earlier today.
According to sources, IndiGo's flight delays and cancellations stem from multiple factors, including the new regime of flight duty time limits (FDTL) introduced in November. These changes have altered pilot rosters and contributed to a crunch in available resources, especially affecting the airline's pilot workforce.
Winter typically leads to a surge in passenger footfall, placing additional strain on airline resources. As one source explained, "due to increased passenger load, the burden on existing resources has also increased."
A source familiar with the matter told India Today TV, "New regime of the FDTL remains the major reason for the pilot crunch within IndiGo.
IndiGo has also acknowledged that technology issues have played a role in the recent disruption. IndiGo has accepted they were facing technical problems that have led to delays in processing passenger boarding.
"A multitude of unforeseen operational challenges, including minor technology glitches, schedule changes linked to the winter season, adverse weather conditions, increased congestion in the aviation system and the implementation of updated crew rostering rules (Flight Duty Time Limitations) had a negative compounding impact on our operations in a way that was not feasible to be anticipated," the airline said.
Efforts are ongoing to minimise inconvenience for travellers. The airline is attempting to address system glitches and maintain schedule integrity despite the operational pressures. Crew shortages remain the primary challenge, as confirmed by internal sources.
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday questioned IndiGo over its decline in performance in November and launched a probe. The decision comes as the airline recorded 1,232 flight cancellations in November, along with delays in flying time.
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