Massive Disruption: IndiGo Cancels Over 1,300 Flights Due to Pilot Shortage and New FDTL Regulations

New Delhi:

All IndiGo domestic flights departing Delhi have been cancelled till midnight, the airport announced on X Friday morning. However, almost simultaneously, sources from the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation told NDTV flights had only been cancelled until 3 pm.

These cancellations follow the DGCA's concerns regarding insufficient IndiGo ground staff at Delhi's Terminal 1 to handle the surge of stranded and frustrated passengers.

The conflicting information—further confusing tens of thousands of passengers already concerned about extended delays and increasing travel costs—highlights the chaos surrounding flight operations at IndiGo, India's largest airline, over the past four days.

Chennai Airport also announced that domestic IndiGo flights from Chennai to Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Hyderabad have been cancelled until 6 pm due to "operational reasons."

Thursday alone saw 550 flights cancelled—the most ever by IndiGo, an airline known for its punctuality, in a single day—across multiple airports, including Delhi.

The airline has already cancelled over 500 flights today, including the now-scrapped Delhi-outbound services. IndiGo also cancelled more than 200 flights between Tuesday and Wednesday.

These cancellations have left tens of thousands of travelers stranded across the country.

In total, nearly 1,300 flights have been cancelled so far, with no immediate resolution in sight. IndiGo has warned passengers to expect more disruptions until at least December 8.

IndiGo admitted Wednesday it had miscalculated the number of pilots needed under new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules. These regulations mandate increased rest periods from 36 to 48 hours in a seven-day period and reduce the consecutive hours a pilot can remain on duty.

The first phase of these regulations was implemented on July 1, with the second phase taking effect on November 1.

The combined effect meant IndiGo lacked sufficient pilots and crew to operate hundreds of flights, as those previously listed as 'on duty' were no longer permitted to fly under the new regulations.

The scale of the airline's operations—typically running over 2,200 domestic and international flights daily—and its numerous overnight services have compounded the problem. The new FDTL rules also impose limitations on night-time flights.

The airline has requested an exemption from these rules until February 10, 2026, to allow time for hiring additional pilots and crew and stabilizing its operations. IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers has cautioned staff and customers that restoring services and pre-disruption punctuality "will not be easy."

Elbers apologized to IndiGo passengers and stated the airline is working "diligently" with the government and DGCA to "reduce the cascading impact of these delays and restore normalcy."

However, the airline has found little relief and has faced criticism from the Federation of Indian Pilots for its "unorthodox lean manpower strategy." In a brief statement Thursday, the FIP urged the airline to "stop blaming pilots... fix management practices" and questioned IndiGo's decision to expand flight schedules, particularly seasonal operations, while knowing it lacked the required number of pilots.