IndiGo Crisis Deepens: Centre Issues Urgent Directives, Operations to Stabilise by Midnight

Amid widespread disruptions across major airports, the central government on Friday issued urgent directives to IndiGo to stabilise its operations as the airline continued to cancel and delay hundreds of flights for a second consecutive day. With thousands of passengers stranded at airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and other cities, authorities said flight schedules are expected to begin normalising by midnight, though complete stability may take longer.

IndiGo has informed the government that the primary reason for the large-scale cancellations is a severe shortage of pilots and cabin crew. The recently revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules, which mandate longer rest periods and impose tighter restrictions on night duty hours, have further reduced crew availability. As a result, the airline’s roster collapsed, on-time performance dropped to nearly 35 percent, and pressure mounted across the domestic aviation network.

In response to the escalating crisis, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) granted IndiGo a temporary and limited relaxation in certain night-duty rules for its A320 fleet. The move is aimed at alleviating the immediate crew shortage and helping the airline operate more flights through the night. The regulator has also sought a detailed recovery plan from IndiGo and will review its progress every 15 days until operations are fully stabilised.

The government has directed the airline to issue full refunds for cancelled flights and provide hotel accommodation, food, and essential assistance to stranded passengers. Special instructions have been issued for senior citizens and vulnerable travellers to be given lounge access. IndiGo has also been asked to increase counter staff at major airports to manage the crowding and long queues witnessed since the disruption began.

Officials said that while significant improvement is expected by late tonight, IndiGo has submitted a long-term roadmap that targets complete restoration of normal operations by February 2026. Beginning December 8, the airline will reduce its scheduled flights to ease pressure on existing crew and ensure more reliable service. With IndiGo controlling over 60 percent of India’s domestic air market, the disruption has had a visible ripple effect across the aviation sector, leading to higher fares, packed flights on other airlines, and overall congestion at airports.

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