IndiGo Flights Cancellation Chaos: IndiGo has been facing widespread cancellations for the past several days. The airline has reportedly attributed the disruptions to the rollout of new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms for pilots, which have led to crew shortages and scheduling challenges.
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The situation has led to long queues at airports, extended delays, and thousands of stranded passengers.
At this time, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) directed airlines, especially IndiGo, to implement measures immediately to resolve the severe disruption to flight schedules and stabilise services without delay, an official statement said.
Two orders have been issued to address problems faced by the public and restore service stability, especially on IndiGo.
The order said, “It is expected: All flight schedules would stabilise and begin returning to normal midnight tonight; Full services and stability should return over the next couple of days; Passengers can track delays, if any, from home through information system installed by IndiGo and others; In the event of flight cancellation IndiGo will ensure automatic full refund for tickets.”
“If passengers are stranded, they will be put up at hotels where accommodation has been booked by airlines. Special measures have been taken to ensure senior citizens are not discomfited in any manner. They will be provided with lounge access; Passengers of delayed flights will be provided with refreshments and other necessities; A 24×7 control room at the Ministry of Civil Aviation is constantly monitoring the situation on a time basis,” the order further read.
On the IndiGo flight service disruption, the Ministry has established a 24×7 Control Room (011-24610843, 011-24693963, 096503-91859) that is monitoring the situation on a real-time basis to ensure swift corrective action, effective coordination, and immediate resolution of issues as they arise.
Earlier today, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) granted IndiGo Airlines a one-time temporary exemption from specific crew duty regulations to help stabilise flight operations and reduce passenger disruptions.
The regulator said that the exemption covers provisions under Night Duty from 0000-0650 hours and restrictions on night operations of the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) Civil Aviation Requirements Section 7 Series J Part III Rev 2, Phase-II, applicable to the airline’s A320 fleet, and is valid until February 10, 2026.
In its decision, DGCA noted that while the operator is primarily responsible for passenger inconvenience, the exemption is being granted in the public interest to ensure continuity of essential air services. According to ANI, the regulator also stressed that safety requirements must continue to be strictly observed and reserves the right to revoke the exemption if safety is compromised.
Airfares Skyrocket Across India
Airfares on several major routes surged to extraordinary levels on Friday after IndiGo cancelled all its domestic departures from Delhi Airport until midnight. As per IANS, the sudden grounding created an immediate shortage of seats, triggering a sharp rise in last-minute ticket prices across the country.
Delhi Airport announced the suspension on its official X handle, confirming that all IndiGo domestic flights scheduled to depart on December 5 would remain cancelled until 11:59 pm.
The airport said that operations for all other airlines continue as usual and urged passengers to check their flight status before heading to the terminal.
The market reacted almost instantly. As per IANS, an Air India one-stop flight from Delhi to Bengaluru for Friday night soared to Rs 1.02 lakh. Delhi–Mumbai fares on Air India peaked at Rs 60,000. Hyderabad routes were also hit by steep hikes. Hyderabad–Mumbai fares reached Rs. 76,500.
Meanwhile, on Thursday alone, over 500 flights were cancelled nationwide, making this one of the carrier’s most severe operational breakdowns in recent years.
(with agencies’ inputs)
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