IndiGo Flight Operations Resuming at Delhi Airport After Massive Cancellations, Full Normalization Expected by December 15

IndiGo has explicitly stated that operations are expected to normalize between December 10 and 15.

New Delhi:

Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi has issued a passenger advisory, confirming that IndiGo flight operations are now "steadily resuming" following the airline disruption that resulted in over 1,000 flight cancellations on Friday.

According to the Delhi Airport advisory, flight operations are now "getting back to normalcy," and passengers are advised to verify their flight status before departing for the airport.

"We are glad to update that Indigo flight operations are now steadily resuming and getting back to normalcy following the brief disruption. Please check the status of your booking and flight before leaving from home," Delhi Airport announced.

Passenger Advisory issued at 2350 Hours#DelhiAirport #PassengerAdvisory #DELAdvisory pic.twitter.com/UvzliwSh4t

This announcement follows IndiGo's cancellation of all domestic flights departing from Delhi Airport until Friday midnight, with the airline acknowledging that it was the most severely affected day, resulting in over 1,000 cancellations. IndiGo CEO Peter Elbers clearly indicated that normal operations are expected to resume between December 10 and 15.

"December 5 was the most severely impacted day, with the number of cancellations well over 1000. I extend our sincerest apologies for the inconvenience it has caused to our customers. It will take some time to return to a full normal situation, which we do anticipate between 10-15 December," Elbers stated in a video message.

In response to these events, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu held IndiGo's mismanagement of its crew regarding the new flight duty time limitation (FDTL) regulations issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) responsible for the operational disruptions, which led to significant delays and congestion at major airports nationwide.

In an interview with ANI, the Minister explained that the situation at major airports prompted the Civil Aviation Ministry to grant IndiGo certain exemptions from FDTL norms to restore normalcy and assist stranded passengers.

"From November 1, the DGCA came up with new FDTL (flight duty time limitation) regulations. The Ministry also initiated a continuous engagement process with the airlines for at least 6 months. Previously, there was no issue regarding the new FDTL norm. Other airlines, including Air India and Spice Jet, have adjusted. However, what has unfolded is due to mismanagement by IndiGo regarding its crew. We have given certain abeyance regarding FDTL norms to IndiGo to ensure normalcy," Naidu stated.

IndiGo's dominant market share of nearly 63 percent has raised monopoly concerns. The recent cancellations have left thousands of passengers stranded, triggering outrage even in Parliament. The government has instructed airlines to implement measures to address the disruptions and ensure passenger refunds.

The DGCA has attributed these disruptions to IndiGo's "misjudgment and gap in planning" in implementing new pilot duty-hour regulations.

IndiGo has received a one-time exemption from the DGCA's pilot night duty rules until February 10, 2026. This exemption allows the airline to bypass stricter flight duty and rest period requirements, particularly those related to night duty between 0000 and 0650 hours and night operations. The DGCA has also withdrawn the rule that prohibited airlines from counting pilot leave as weekly rest.

This exemption aims to stabilize IndiGo's operations and reduce passenger disruptions caused by the airline's pilot staffing shortage. However, the Airlines' Pilots Association (ALPA) of India has criticized this decision, arguing that it establishes a dangerous precedent and undermines established safety regulations.