Flights Grounded, Refunds Soar in IndiGo Operational Mess
Crew Shortage, Winter Rush Deepen IndiGo Flight Disruption
New Delhi: IndiGo continues to face operational disruption even as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) enforces flight schedule cuts to stabilise operations. In the past week, IndiGo was ordered to reduce its flights by five per cent, a regulatory intervention reflecting ongoing concerns over the airline’s capacity to maintain scheduled services. The DGCA has deployed personnel at IndiGo’s headquarters to monitor crew allocation, flight departures, baggage handling, refund processing, and passenger re-accommodation. Despite assurances from IndiGo’s leadership that operations have been partially restored, cancellations persist, with an estimated 2,200–2,800 flights affected across major hubs, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai.
IndiGo has processed refunds totalling approximately ₹827 crore for cancellations occurring between November 21 and December 7, affecting around 9.55 lakh passenger name records. The airline has also implemented measures to provide alternate transportation and accommodations for stranded travellers. Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers has publicly apologised for the disruptions and projected a phased recovery: partial normalisation of operations between December 10 and 15, with full operational stability targeted by February 10, 2026.
The immediate cause of the crisis is linked to the implementation of stricter Flight Duty Time Limitation rules for pilots, which mandate extended rest periods, maximum duty hours, and limits on consecutive night operations. These rules were enforced from November 1, 2025, and were intended to enhance safety standards. IndiGo’s operational planning, particularly for the peak winter season, appears to have been insufficient to absorb these new constraints. Minor technical glitches, weather variations, and system congestion compounded the problem, turning initial disruptions into a widespread cancellation crisis.
The most severe disruptions occurred on December 5, when an estimated 1,000–1,600 flights were cancelled nationwide, with on-time performance (OTP) dropping to 3.7–8.5 per cent at major hubs, including Delhi, which experienced temporary halts of all departures. Passenger inconvenience was significant, with delays, missed connections, and baggage backlogs. By December 7, while IndiGo attempted to operate flights to 137 of its 138 destinations, hundreds of flights were still cancelled or delayed, with approximately 9,000 pieces of baggage delayed and about half delivered by that date.
The government and regulatory agencies responded swiftly. The DGCA required IndiGo to submit a revised winter schedule by December 10 and established a continuous monitoring framework. The Ministry of Civil Aviation formed a four-member inquiry panel to investigate the operational failures, with the authority to impose penalties if the airline is found at fault. Credit rating agencies, including Moody’s, identified the disruptions as credit negative, reflecting the potential financial and reputational impact on the airline.
Analysts highlight structural vulnerabilities exposed by the crisis: a combination of high seasonal demand, aggressive scheduling, and regulatory compliance obligations created a fragile operational environment. Even minor operational deviations — technical issues, weather delays, or pilot availability constraints — rapidly cascaded into large-scale cancellations. While IndiGo has undertaken extensive remedial measures, including refunds, alternate arrangements, and monitoring, the airline’s ability to fully stabilise operations remains contingent on addressing underlying crew planning and scheduling challenges.
The events underscore the intricate balance between regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and passenger service in India’s aviation sector, illustrating that even leading carriers can be destabilised when multiple constraints converge. The coming weeks will determine whether IndiGo can restore service reliability and rebuild passenger confidence ahead of the winter travel peak.
– global bihari bureau
