How the IndiGo crisis unfolded?

IndiGo, India’s largest domestic airline, has faced a week of escalating cancellations and delays across major airports. The disruptions, first reported on 2 December, continued through 5 December, with PTI estimating at least 400 cancellations nationwide. A day earlier, over 550 flights were cancelled, and on 3 December around 150 flights were grounded at key hubs such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kolkata.

The crisis has now stretched into its fifth day. IndiGo has sought temporary relaxation of rules that restrict pilots’ night duty hours to help stabilise operations. On 2 December, passengers in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata complained of extensive delays, initially attributed to operational issues and poor visibility. On 3 December, a technical outage affecting check-in systems slowed operations for IndiGo, SpiceJet and Air India, with Bengaluru and Mumbai airports witnessing dozens of cancellations.

By 4 December, more than 180 IndiGo flights were again cancelled as disruptions persisted. The DGCA launched an investigation, while civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu held a high-level review with the airline’s leadership.

On 5 December, cancellations climbed to about 400 flights, affecting more than 16,000 passengers in Delhi alone. IndiGo has promised the DGCA that full operational stability will return by 10 February.