IndiGo Flight Crisis Day 10: Over 100 Cancellations Hit Bengaluru, Chennai & Other Cities

IndiGo’s operational crisis entered its tenth consecutive day on Thursday, with more than 100 flights cancelled across major airports including Bengaluru, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Delhi. The airline, which scrapped 220 flights on Wednesday, said operations were “stabilising”, though disruptions continue nationwide.

IndiGo Chairman Rejects ‘Engineered Crisis’ Claims

IndiGo chairman Vikram Singh Mehta dismissed accusations that the airline deliberately created the crisis or attempted to influence aviation regulations. Calling the allegations “incorrect”, he issued a public apology, acknowledging that thousands of passengers were left stranded.

Airline to Rope in External Experts

IndiGo announced it will appoint external technical experts to investigate the root cause of the mass cancellations. The airline’s board will conduct a detailed review to ensure such disruptions do not recur.

Key Updates

Major Airport Disruptions

Bengaluru: 60 flights cancelled on Thursday (32 arrivals, 28 departures).

Chennai: 36 flights cancelled, including 24 departures.

Ahmedabad: 18 flights cancelled.

Delhi (Wednesday): 137 cancellations — the highest in a day.

Flights from smaller airports like Jabalpur and Bhubaneswar saw improved on-time performance.

DGCA Action Intensifies

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has:

Summoned IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers to submit detailed operational data.

Formed an eight-member oversight team to monitor the airline’s functioning from its Gurgaon headquarters.

Ordered safety officers to conduct on-site inspections at 11 airports within 48–72 hours.

Why the Crisis?

IndiGo’s biggest challenge stems from new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules, which restrict the working hours of pilots and crew. The airline has struggled to deploy adequate manpower, resulting in mass cancellations since December 2. Technical issues and winter weather further contributed to delays.

Operational Claims by IndiGo

No same-day cancellations for three days (except weather/technical).

On-time performance “back to top-tier standards”.

Expected to operate 1,950+ flights on Thursday, serving nearly 3 lakh passengers.

All 138 destinations “fully connected” since December 8.

Airline forced to cut Q3 capacity and revenue forecasts following DGCA’s directive to reduce its winter schedule by 10%.

Political Reactions

Opposition leaders questioned the government’s silence on the crisis. Congress MPs criticised PM Modi for “ignoring key issues” such as inflation, Manipur, and the IndiGo turmoil.

Another Congress leader drew attention to a “possible Adani angle”, claiming the crisis coincided with the group’s investment in pilot-training centres.

Total Cancellations So Far

Nearly 5,000 IndiGo flights have been cancelled in the last 10 days, marking one of the airline’s worst operational breakdowns in years.