IndiGo flight cancellations: Airfares surge, Delhi Airport sees gradual resumption

Following widespread delays and cancellations by IndiGo, which disrupted hundreds of domestic flights, SpiceJet has stepped in to help stranded travellers by adding extra departures from Delhi and Mumbai on Saturday. The airline aims to offer passengers alternative travel options and ease congestion at busy airports while the aviation sector works to restore normal operations.

Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi has issued a passenger advisory confirming that IndiGo flights are now “steadily resuming” after Friday’s mass disruption that saw more than 1,000 cancellations. Travellers have been urged to check flight status before leaving home.

“We are glad to update that IndiGo flight operations are now steadily resuming and getting back to normalcy,” Delhi Airport said in the statement.

On Friday, last-minute fares surged to unprecedented levels amid IndiGo’s flight cancellations. A one-way, one-stop economy ticket on SpiceJet from Kolkata to Mumbai for December 6 reportedly reached ₹90,000, while a similar Air India Mumbai–Bhubaneswar ticket spiked to ₹84,485, according to PTI citing airline websites.

A source told PTI that “last-minute fares are usually 2–3 times the normal rates, but in this case, they surged up to six times.”

Ajay Prakash, Nomad Travel CEO and former president of the Travel Agents’ Association of India, called the hike “black marketing and profiteering” and warned of the urgent need for oversight: “If a ₹10,000 ticket is being sold at ₹60,000 anywhere, it’s exploitative and must be addressed.”

The airline had cancelled all domestic flights departing Delhi until midnight on Friday — its worst operational day to date. IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said a full return to normalcy is expected between 10 and 15 December, apologising to passengers for the widespread delays and cancellations.

“December 5 was the most severely impacted day, with cancellations well over 1,000,” Elbers said in a video message.

Across the country, passengers reported long waits, cancelled trips and a lack of communication from the airline.

At Jodhpur Airport, one traveller said: “No one from IndiGo is providing any answers… I have been standing here since morning.”

Another passenger in Bhubaneswar, who was due to connect to an international flight, said she spent three hours seeking clarity with “no answers” provided.

Actor Lauren Gottlieb described the airport scenes as “an apocalypse,” with all Dubai-bound IndiGo flights cancelled. Jay Bhanushali, Rahul Vaidya, and Aly Goni also shared their experiences, criticising delays, soaring ticket prices, and prolonged waits.

The DGCA has set up a four-member panel to examine IndiGo’s failure to prepare for FDTL CAR 2024. The regulator cited “deficiencies in internal oversight and compliance planning”, noting that cancellations had climbed to 170–200 per day before spiralling this week.

The committee will submit its report within 15 days and recommend regulatory action to prevent future disruptions.

India withdraws pilot rest policy after IndiGo chaos

• India’s aviation ministry has rolled back the new weekly rest rules for pilots, following widespread flight cancellations by IndiGo. The rules, aimed at improving pilot rest and passenger safety, were implemented last month.

• IndiGo, which commands 60% of India’s domestic market, cancelled all domestic flights from New Delhi and Chennai on Friday, marking its worst day with over 1,000 cancellations.

• CEO Pieter Elbers apologised and said the relaxation of rules is “of great help,” though “lots of work is still in progress.”

• Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said flight schedules should stabilise by Saturday and that the decision prioritises passengers, including senior citizens, students, and patients, without compromising safety.

• The crisis began on Monday due to “unforeseen operational challenges” and misjudgement in adapting to the new rules, despite two years to prepare.

• Passengers reported long delays and lack of updates at airports, while the government and public figures, including Rahul Gandhi, criticised the handling of the situation.

• IndiGo operates over 2,000 daily flights and the disruptions come amid global Airbus alerts affecting aircraft upgrades.