IndiGo Cancels Over 100 Flights Amid Major Disruptions at Delhi, Mumbai Airports

IndiGo is facing widespread delays and cancellations across major airports due to a combination of technology glitches, airport congestion and operational constraints, leaving thousands of passengers stranded nationwide.

By Wednesday afternoon, airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad had reported over 100 IndiGo cancellations. As per PTI, 33 flights were cancelled at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, while more than 51 services were scrapped at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

Hyderabad also saw 19 IndiGo cancellations, affecting both arrivals and departures. Flights from Visakhapatnam, Goa, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Madurai, Hubli, Bhopal and Bhubaneswar were cancelled, along with outbound flights to Delhi, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Hubli and Bhopal. Ahmedabad recorded 14 cancellations, split evenly between arrivals and departures.

Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport reported 42 domestic cancellations, including 22 arrivals and 20 departures, disrupting connections to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Goa, Kolkata and Lucknow.

The cascading delays mirror IndiGo’s recent struggles with punctuality. Government data showed only 35% of IndiGo flights operated on time on December 2, and 49.5% the previous day.

IndiGo Issues Apology

In a statement, the airline admitted its operations had been “significantly disrupted” for the past two days and apologised to customers.

A spokesperson attributed the situation to a “multitude of unforeseen operational challenges,” including technology glitches, winter schedule changes, adverse weather, congestion in the aviation ecosystem, and updated flight duty time limitation (FDTL) norms — all of which had a “compounding impact” on performance.

To restore normalcy, IndiGo said it has begun calibrated adjustments to its schedules for the next 48 hours, calling it a temporary but necessary step to stabilise operations and minimise further disruptions. Affected passengers are being offered alternative travel options or refunds.

The airline advised travellers to check flight status online before heading to the airport, as terminals in multiple cities remain crowded with passengers seeking rebooking and assistance.

Crew Shortages After New Duty Norms

IndiGo is also struggling with a pilot shortage, intensified after Phase 2 of the revised FDTL norms came into effect last month. The updated rules — which mandate 48 hours of weekly rest, extend night-time duty hours, and restrict night landings from six to two — were initially opposed by IndiGo and Air India.

However, the DGCA implemented them following Delhi High Court directions, albeit in phases and with some relaxations for airlines.

IndiGo, which operates around 2,100 flights daily — many of them at night — has been particularly impacted. A source told PTI the airline has been facing acute crew shortages since the rollout of the new duty norms, contributing to cancellations and major delays across airports.

The carrier currently has 416 aircraft, with 366 operational and 50 grounded, up from 47 grounded planes last month, according to Planespotters.com.