IndiGo flights cancellation BIG update: IndiGo cancels over 550 flights in a single day, several services delayed at various airports due to…, operations to normalise by..

There were at least 118 flight cancellations at the Mumbai airport, 100 at Bangalore, 75 at Hyderabad, 35 at Kolkata, 26 at Chennai, and 11 at Goa. Flight cancellations were reported at other airports also.

IndiGo on Thursday told aviation watchdog DGCA that operations are expected to be fully stabilised by February 10, 2026, and sought temporary relaxations in flight duty norms on a day when the country’s largest airline cancelled more than 550 flights, disrupting the travel plans of hundreds of passengers.

What caused IndiGo to cancel over 550 flights in a single day?

IndiGo has been experiencing a sharp rise in cancellations, reaching approximately 170-200 flights per day, which is substantially higher than normal. Passengers across multiple airports on Thursday voiced strong frustration as IndiGo’s nationwide operations remained severely disrupted, leaving many stranded without clear communication or alternate travel options. Several factors have led to numerous interruptions in flights, including cabin crew woes and technology issues.

IndiGo has revised its schedules, with pre-planned service cancellations being implemented as part of efforts to normalise operations. Furthermore, it even recorded an on-time performance of 19.7 per cent on Wednesday, a steep fall from 35 per cent reported on Tuesday.

Why is IndiGo facing operational disruptions?

IndiGo, one of India’s largest and fastest-growing airlines, operates a fleet of over 400 aircraft and runs more than 2,300 flights daily. The carrier connects 90+ domestic and 45+ international destinations.In 2024, it inducted 58 aircraft and served over 118 million passengers in FY25.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation met senior IndiGo officials to discuss the problems and develop a plan towards a resolution. The airline’s CEO Pieter Elbers told the staff that normalising operations and bringing back punctuality will not be an “easy target”.

Sources told the news agency PTI that more than 550 flights were cancelled at different airports, including 172 flights at the Delhi airport, on Thursday. There were at least 118 flight cancellations at the Mumbai airport, 100 at Bangalore, 75 at Hyderabad, 35 at Kolkata, 26 at Chennai, and 11 at Goa. Flight cancellations were reported at other airports also, as mentioned by the news agency PTI.

What steps is IndiGo taking to normalise operations?

Acknowledging that the flight disruptions happening for the past few days are primarily due to misjudgment and planning gaps in implementing the second phase of the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms, IndiGo also informed the regulator that there will be more cancellations till December 8 and from that day, there will also be a reduction in services.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu held a high-level review meeting to assess the situation of significant flight disruptions and expressed his displeasure at the way IndiGo handled the new FDTL norms implementation despite having ample time.

When are operations expected to return to normal?

During a detailed review meeting, the DGCA found that IndiGo’s operational breakdowns stemmed from transitional challenges in implementing Phase 2 of the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms, crew-planning gaps, and winter-season constraints. The revised fatigue-management rules, enforced following court directions, came into effect in two stages, July 1 and November 1, 2025. According to the press note, IndiGo admitted that it had misjudged crew requirements under the new FDTL regulations, resulting in shortages, especially during night-time operations where most available slots now fall. Furthermore, the airline has sought temporary operational exemptions from specific FDTL provisions for its A320 fleet until February 10, 2026.

(With agencies’ inputs)