C.H.A.O.S. — that’s pretty much the only word that fits the scene at airports across India this week. Thousands of passengers were scrambling for answers, unsure whether their flights were merely delayed or already cancelled. Total disruption, right on the cusp of the holiday rush. The spillover is now weighing heavily on other airlines trying to absorb the load.
On Friday, IndiGo continued to cancel, delay or divert flights across the country. The scale of disruption also triggered a political battle, with Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi blaming what he called a “monopoly-driven economic model” for the crisis.
As airports struggled with crowding and last-minute schedule changes, IndiGo briefed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that the airline does not expect full operational stability before February 10, 2026.
The carrier further sought temporary relaxations in Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules in order to ease crew pressure over the next few months.
Also Read: IndiGo disruptions: All departing flights from Delhi cancelled; chaos at other airports as well
Below is a breakdown of why flights are being cancelled, what passengers should check before heading to the airport, and what the regulator has asked the airline to fix.
Why IndiGo flights are getting cancelled
According to IndiGo’s submission to the DGCA, the disruption is rooted in misjudgment and planning gaps during the rollout of the second phase of the revised FDTL norms. For the unversed, FDTL norms govern how long pilots can operate and how many night landings they may undertake.
1. Crew shortage triggered by FDTL phase-2
The airline admitted that its projections for crew availability were off-mark:
- December requirement: 2,357 captains & 2,194 first officers
- November requirement: 2,422 captains & 2,153 first officers
- October requirement: 2,186 captains & 1,948 first officers
The immediate jump in crew requirements after the FDTL phase-2 rollout meant IndiGo did not have enough cockpit crew for its A320 fleet, a shortfall that tightened night operations further because the new norms restrict the number of night landings per pilot.
2. High cancellations and slipping punctuality
On Thursday alone, the airline cancelled over 550 domestic and international flights, and delays were reported across multiple airports.
IndiGo, which prides itself on punctuality, saw its on-time performance crash to:
- 19.7 per cent on Wednesday
- 35 per cent on Tuesday
The airline usually operates around 2,300 flights a day, so a disruption of this magnitude quickly cascaded across the network.
3. Regulator displeasure over preparedness
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu expressed dissatisfaction with how IndiGo handled the FDTL transition “despite having ample time”. DGCA has now issued strict instructions for:
- Real-time monitoring of IndiGo operations
- Immediate passenger alerts for any expected cancellations
- Deployment of officers inside IndiGo’s operational control centres
A DGCA team inspecting Delhi Airport’s Terminal 1 also flagged inadequate passenger-handling manpower, especially during disruption-induced crowding.
4. Pilot unions accuse airline of poor planning
As per two pilot unions, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) and the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), the current meltdown was a “predictable outcome” of poor resource planning. They alleged:
- IndiGo froze cockpit hiring despite having two years to prepare for FDTL rollout
- The airline may be using the crisis to pressure DGCA into relaxing duty norms
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers reportedly told staff that restoring punctuality will “not be an easy target”.
How to check IndiGo flight status
With frequent last-minute changes, passengers have been advised to verify their flight status before leaving home.
Official IndiGo Flight Status Checker
IndiGo’s live flight tracker allows searches by:
- PNR number, or
- 6E flight number, with the date of travel
Link: https://www.goindigo.in/check-flight-status.html
You can check:
- Departures
- Arrivals
- Domestic + International flights
The tool updates in real time and is currently the most reliable source for passengers.
When will full services be restored?
IndiGo has conveyed the following timeline and corrective measures to DGCA:
1. Full stability expected by February 10, 2026
The airline told DGCA that operations will be fully normal only by February 10, 2026, which means:
- More cancellations expected till December 8
- After December 8, a reduction in services is planned to prevent further chaos
2. Requests for temporary FDTL relaxations
IndiGo has asked for short-term exemptions for A320 operations to help manage crew shortages through the winter.
DGCA will review these requests before making a decision.
3. Regulator orders detailed roadmap
IndiGo must now submit:
- Crew recruitment plans aligned with aircraft additions
- Training schedules
- Revised roster strategy
- Safety-risk assessment reports
- A mitigation plan for operational vulnerabilities
Additionally, the airline must submit a progress report every 15 days on crew availability, punctuality, and roster stability.