IndiGo chaos latest updates: UAE flight delays, apology issued, DGCA waiver likely

Dubai: India’s IndiGo has apologised to passengers after three days of widespread disruption that has severely impacted flights and operations across its domestic and international network.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the airline said it “deeply regrets the inconvenience caused” and acknowledged that thousands of travellers had been impacted by delays.

IndiGo's network is grinding through a third day of turmoil on December 4, with over 175 flights axed as of Thursday morning. The airline cited pilot fatigue rules, bad weather, and technical snags as main reasons for the ongoing delays.

The airline’s current state is a result of a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ruling that revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules for pilots. The rules were rolled out in a phased manner to address pilots’ fatigue concerns. Phase 1 of the revision, covering 15 key clauses like extended rest periods, began on July 1.

Phase 2, with the remaining seven clauses including stricter night duty limits, took full effect on November 1, 2025, leading to IndiGo’s disruptions. In fact, the second phase was delayed by the government by a year to help airlines plan their crew requirement as they had warned of widespread flight cancellations.

Though IndiGo and other airlines lobbied intensely to postpone it further, the regulator enforced them with only limited relaxations under a mandate of Delhi High Court.

IndiGo’s flight disruptions have affected both domestic and international operations, including routes to and from the UAE. According to Dubai Airports live flight tracker, a majority of IndiGo’s flights to Dubai and back, operating on Thursday, were delayed by several hours. Flight 6E1461 from Delhi to Dubai arrival time was delayed by six hours. Inbound flights from Pune, Hyderabad, Surat, and several other destinations were delayed on December 4.

However, a majority of cancellations have been concentrated at major Indian hubs like Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai, international flights including those connecting to the UAE have also experienced delays and rescheduling as part of the broader network impact.

The airline has advised affected passengers, including those travelling to the UAE, to monitor real-time flight updates on its official website and has been providing alternate arrangements and support to mitigate inconvenience.

Indian media outlet Economic Times has reported that India’s civil aviation body is likely to give IndiGo a partial waiver from implementing the new pilot rest rules.

Citing a person ‘aware of the incident’, the report stated, “IndiGo has been given a temporary waiver till they settle their operations. The airline has been asked to give a mitigation plan and commitment to fix this.”

But the answer to why this is happening is even more bizarre. The ET report, citing individuals involved in the airline operations, said that the airline “assumed DGCA would grant more time to implement the rules.”

As a result, it neither hired adequately nor accelerated training, leaving pilots stretched thin through frequent reassignments, longer workdays and extended deadheading where they travel as passengers to operate flights at another location.

IndiGo said its teams were “working diligently” with support from India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the Airports Authority of India (AAI), and airport operators to limit the cascading effect of the disruptions and “restore normalcy” as quickly as possible.

Indias largest airline by marker share, Indigo operates more than 2,300 flights a day with a fleet of over 400 aircraft. The carrier flies to more than 90 domestic and 45 international destinations and carried over 118 million passengers in the last financial year.

For now, the airline said it remains focused on streamlining operations and returning to its normal on-time performance.