IndiGo flight cancellations: Why new safety rules stranded thousands of passengers

Dubai: Thousands of travellers remain stranded and frustrated at major airports across India as IndiGo, the country’s largest airline, grapples with a massive wave of flight cancellations now entering its third straight day. At least 175 IndiGo flights were grounded early Thursday, following over 300 cancellations on Wednesday, leaving passengers in New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru facing long delays and mounting uncertainty.

The core of the crisis stems from the airline’s struggle to adapt its pilot rosters to stringent new government safety regulations aimed at reducing pilot fatigue.

IndiGo did not immediately respond to Gulf News’ queries on the matter. 

For the average passenger, this disruption represents a significant breakdown in reliability from an airline that once prided itself on punctuality. IndiGo’s on-time performance plummeted to just 35% on Tuesday, the worst among major carriers.

The real impact is being felt by those on the ground. Angry outbursts, desperate requests, and helplessness filled airport counters, with social media posts showing passengers stuck for hours, missing crucial connections, and venting frustration at the lack of clear communication.

The chaos has been largely triggered by new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules, which came into effect on November 1. These regulations were implemented by the civil aviation regulator to enhance passenger safety by improving crew rest.

The Federation of Indian Pilots said IndiGo was “not able to make timely roster adjustments and plan its schedule properly” to comply with these safety-first requirements. In contrast, other carriers, including Air India and Akasa Air, have managed to adjust their schedules without having to cancel flights on this scale.

Passengers shared scenes of desperation online. Ayush Kuchya posted from a delayed flight: "My @IndiGo6E flight is delayed for hours and passengers are stuck with no clear communication. I even have a video of people raising concerns."

Dr. Prashant Pansare reported from Pune: "#Indigo flight messup at #pune #Airport Shame on @IndiGo6E no passenger intimation at boarding gate no staff.. citizens self-service.. and worst is on display board says flight scheduled on time."

Amol Shah raged from Delhi: "Absolute chaos & mockery at #Delhiairport. #Indigo staff are leeches who are lying & passengers are stranded since past 12+ hours with no confirmatiom."

Lalit Kishor Pargi added from Ahmedabad: "@IndiGo6E Extremely disappointed with the service. Our flight has been delayed by 12–24 hours and no proper assistance or clear solution is being provided by the staff."

The widespread disruption has sent airfares soaring on competing airlines, as IndiGo controls over 60% of the domestic market. A single-stop cancellation by the airline has a huge ripple effect across the country's travel network.

The regulator is due to meet with IndiGo management later today to demand a detailed recovery plan. In the meantime, the airline issued a statement acknowledging the scale of the disruption. “We sincerely apologise to our customers for the inconvenience caused,” the statement said, listing the strict duty limits as a major factor alongside minor tech glitches and winter schedule changes.

If your flight is cancelled or delayed, you should know that:

- With inputs from agencies.