IndiGo Crisis: Over 500 Flights Cancelled as Passengers Face 12+ Hour Delays and Airport Chaos Across India

Many travelers were forced to sleep on the floor while others erupted in anger as the situation worsened.

New Delhi:

Chaos continues to unfold at airports across India as IndiGo, one of the country's largest airlines, grapples with severe operational issues resulting in over 500 flight cancellations. Passengers have been left waiting for their luggage for more than 12 hours, with no food or water provided, while IndiGo counters remain unstaffed.

NDTV reporters observed thousands of suitcases abandoned at Delhi airport terminals as the crisis deepened.

Some exhausted passengers resorted to sleeping on the ground, while others expressed their frustration through protests and slogans against the airline.

One passenger described the experience as "mental torture," telling NDTV that even after 12 hours, he received no clear information from IndiGo. "I've been here for over 12 hours. They keep telling us about one-hour delays, two-hour delays. We were traveling to a wedding without access to our luggage. IndiGo staff isn't providing any information. They're currently the worst airline. I don't understand why they continue accepting new passengers while luggage piles up," he explained.

Another stranded traveler mentioned waiting at the airport since the previous afternoon. "They continuously delayed the flight without offering any explanation," he stated.

"This is extremely stressful. I've been sitting at this airport for 14 hours now. No food vouchers have been provided. My connecting flight was cancelled. People are shouting and protesting, but staff members aren't offering any clarification. The employees seem completely untrained for handling these types of emergencies," a different passenger reported.

Similar distressing scenes unfolded at Hyderabad airport, where abandoned passengers had outbursts after being denied food and accommodation. Some travelers even blocked an Air India flight in protest.

"My flight was scheduled to depart yesterday at 7:30 pm. I arrived at the airport with my father around 6 pm and was informed the flight was on time. We've now been here for over 12 hours. IndiGo hasn't provided any clarity, only stating the flight is indefinitely delayed. We haven't received any information, food, or water. IndiGo's response has been absolutely abysmal. There are senior citizens and people with urgent commitments who have no solutions. It's completely ridiculous," shared a passenger at Hyderabad airport.

At Goa airport, video footage captured passengers shouting at IndiGo staff, with police attempting to defuse the situation.

Chennai airport has hundreds of stranded travelers, with the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) now denying entry to IndiGo passengers.

Vishakhapatnam airport has cancelled at least 49 departures and 43 arrivals.

Pune Airport released a statement confirming that 16 IndiGo arrivals and 16 departures were cancelled today. "One NAG-PNQ flight was diverted to Hyderabad due to Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL). All other airlines maintained normal operations without disruptions. Parking bay congestion continued as several IndiGo aircraft occupied bays while waiting for available crew, resulting in limited bay availability and causing sequential delays for arrivals and departures across multiple carriers," the statement explained.

"In response to the ongoing airline operational disruptions affecting flight schedules, Pune Airport confirms that all airport teams remain fully mobilized across operations, terminal management, security, apron services, and passenger assistance to ensure uninterrupted support and smooth terminal functioning. Additional staff has been deployed during night hours to supervise ground operations and coordinate with all stakeholders to maintain passenger safety, ensure better crowd management, and provide real-time assistance throughout the terminal," the airport added.

The statement continued: "Pune Airport continues working closely with airlines, ground handling agencies, Air Traffic Control, CISF, and terminal service partners to effectively manage congestion, improve passenger facilitation, and support the quickest possible restoration of normal flight operations. Passenger welfare remains our highest priority, and we sincerely appreciate the patience and cooperation of all travelers during this challenging period."

IndiGo's operational disruptions have now continued for the fourth consecutive day. The 20-year-old airline has cancelled over 550 flights due to various factors including cabin crew issues and technical problems. Among these cancellations were 104 flights at Mumbai airport, 225 at Delhi airport, 102 in Bengaluru, and 92 in Hyderabad. At least five flights have been cancelled at Bhopal airport.

IndiGo has acknowledged its miscalculation of crew requirements under new regulations and planning deficiencies, resulting in inadequate crew availability during a period already affected by winter weather and congestion. The airline informed the Civil Aviation Ministry and DGCA regulator that the redefinition of night duty (from midnight-5am to midnight-6am) has been temporarily reversed. Additionally, the limit on night landings to two has been temporarily suspended.

The airline has warned passengers that cancellations will likely continue for the next two to three days as part of their schedule stabilization efforts. Starting December 8, IndiGo will reduce flight operations to minimize further disruption.

IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers has informed staff that normalizing operations and restoring punctuality will not be an "easy target."

The airline issued another apology to customers and stakeholders last night: "The last two days have seen widespread disruption across IndiGo's network and operations. We extend a heartfelt apology to all our customers and industry stakeholders who have been impacted by these events."

The statement continued, "IndiGo teams are working diligently and making all efforts with the support of MOCA, DGCA, BCAS, AAI and airport operators to reduce the cascading impact of these delays and restore normalcy."