IndiGo Cancels Flights As Pilot Shortage Sparks Travel Disruptions Across India

India’s busiest airline, IndiGo, is facing one of its toughest weeks as hundreds of passengers across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad found themselves stranded or scrambling for alternatives. The airline cancelled between seventy and two hundred flights on Wednesday alone, a significant jump from the nearly one hundred cancellations recorded the previous day. For an airline known for punctuality and smooth operations, these sudden disruptions have served as a stark reminder of how fragile aviation schedules can be when manpower thins out.

The chaos began brewing soon after stricter rest rules for flight crew kicked in on November 1. These rules require pilots to receive a minimum of forty eight hours of weekly rest and place tighter limitations on night landings and early morning departures. The guidelines were introduced to reduce fatigue and improve safety standards, but the transition has clearly hit IndiGo’s roster planning at a sensitive time. Winter season already brings fog, congestion and unpredictable weather. Adding shortages to the mix has created the perfect storm.

Passengers Face Delays, Refund Confusion And Long Queues

At Delhi airport, several waiting areas turned into makeshift lounges by late afternoon. Passengers sat on bags, scrolled through their phones or waited in long lines at customer counters. Some travellers shared their frustration online, posting photos of long queues and confused crowds. One passenger heading to Bengaluru told us, “My flight was cancelled three hours before departure. They offered a refund but there were no clear instructions on how soon the money would be processed. It felt like nobody had answers.”

IndiGo, in its statement, pointed to multiple contributing factors. The airline said that the new duty regulations, unexpected crew absences, poor winter visibility, and occasional technical glitches had created scheduling gaps. It also assured customers that affected flyers were being offered refunds, rescheduled options or alternative arrangements. However, many passengers claimed that the support desks were understaffed and overwhelmed.

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New Rest Rules Have Created A Tight Operational Window

Aviation insiders have been warning for weeks that the revised rest rules would strain airline rosters, especially for carriers with dense schedules like IndiGo. Under the new system, pilots who previously handled tightly packed flight rotations now have longer mandatory resting periods. This reduces the number of hours available for active flying.

A senior aviation expert gave a simple explanation. “Imagine a highway during rush hour. If you suddenly remove one lane, traffic slows down. The same thing is happening in the sky. IndiGo’s schedule is a high speed lane and now they have fewer pilots available to keep the system moving smoothly.”

The airline reportedly had some crew members calling in absent as they adjusted to the new routine. Combined with a busy holiday season and fog related slowdowns, several flights could not be staffed in time.

Sharp Drop In On Time Performance Raises Eyebrows

One of the most worrying indicators came on Tuesday when IndiGo’s on time performance hit thirty five percent. For an airline that usually ranks among the most punctual in the country, this steep fall has raised concerns about operational strain. Low visibility in Delhi and Bengaluru played a role, but aviation analysts say the core issue remains the struggle to deploy enough pilots across key routes.

Tuesday’s OTP figures served as a warning sign. By Wednesday, the cancellations had grown even more severe, indicating that the backlog of crew availability was widening instead of narrowing.

Airports Feeling The Pressure As Crowds Surge

Airport staff in Delhi and Mumbai reported that the morning rush hours were particularly chaotic. Announcements about last minute cancellations echoed through terminals. Families, students, and business travellers were seen discussing alternative travel plans, with many opting for trains, interstate buses or even overnight road trips.

A traveller from Hyderabad described the scene as “a ripple effect that kept growing.” She said, “My flight was cancelled but the next available option was late at night. People were constantly trying to rebook and the queue kept stretching. You could sense the stress in the air.”

Airport authorities have been urging flyers to check their flight status well in advance and plan for delays.

IndiGo Adjusts Schedules To Recover The System

To bring stability back, IndiGo has started making controlled adjustments to its flight schedules. This means the airline may temporarily reduce the total number of flights each day until rosters return to normal. A spokesperson said, “We are working to reorganize our network so that disruptions reduce steadily over the next few days. Safety remains our top priority.”

IndiGo is also reportedly exploring short term fixes, including standby pilot arrangements and reassigning aircraft to routes with higher demand. However, experts say that unless pilot availability improves, the system may continue to fluctuate throughout the winter.

What This Means For Travellers In The Coming Weeks

With winter fog expected to intensify in northern India, passengers should brace for more unpredictable delays. Travel planners recommend arriving early, avoiding tight layovers, and keeping backup plans ready. The aviation ministry is monitoring the situation closely but has not yet indicated whether temporary relaxations in duty rules are being considered.

The larger question is whether other airlines may face similar strains. If the new rest regulations continue to challenge pilot rosters, the ripple effect could spread across the industry.

For now, passengers will be hoping that the worst of the cancellations is over. But as one frequent flyer put it, “When the biggest airline in the country coughs, the whole system catches a cold. I just hope things settle before the holiday rush peaks.”