Airports nationwide grappled with mounting disorder on Thursday, December 4, 2025, as IndiGo’s ongoing flight delays cascaded into widespread cancellations, ensnaring hundreds of flights and rippling across rival carriers. The turmoil stemmed from a severe crew shortfall, leaving IndiGo planes tied up at gates and stranding passengers for hours.
According to PTI, the low-cost carrier axed more than 550 domestic and international services in recent days. The hardest-hit hubs were Mumbai, with 85 cancellations; Bengaluru, logging 73; Hyderabad, at 68; Chennai, with 31; and Delhi, reporting 30. Tensions boiled over at Hyderabad’s terminal, where frustrated travelers took to chanting slogans in protest.
In response, senior IndiGo executives convened with Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and Faiz Kidwai, the Director General of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The airline outlined plans to scale back operations starting December 8, aiming to stem further breakdowns, though officials warned that delays and axed flights would drag on for another two to three days, per a DGCA release.
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IndiGo also petitioned for a waiver on the new restrictions curbing night-time operations, seeking an extension until February 10. During discussions, the carrier owned up to “misjudgement and planning gaps” in rolling out the updated pilot rest and duty regulations, effective from November 1—particularly those limiting nocturnal flights. The miscalculation left actual staffing needs far above projections.
The minister voiced sharp frustration over IndiGo’s handling of the rollout, noting that carriers had sufficient lead time for a smooth shift to the guidelines. Authorities ordered the airline to ramp up ground personnel at key airports immediately, bolstering assistance for affected flyers.
Further, IndiGo must furnish a comprehensive strategy to the regulator, detailing forecasts for pilot hires tied to fleet growth, alongside protocols for training, scheduling overhauls, and more. In a note to staff, CEO Pieter Elbers attributed the snags to the “size, scale and complexity” of the network, insisting that multifaceted fixes were underway to contain the fallout.
The ripple effects extended beyond IndiGo: At Pune airport, nine of ten stands sat idle overnight, monopolized by the carrier’s uncrewed jets, hampering other operators’ schedules as officials scrambled to clear the congestion.