India’s largest carrier, IndiGo, recently faced a major operational breakdown, with more than 200 flights abruptly cancelled and hundreds more delayed over just two days, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at major airports. Long queues and frustrated travelers quickly sparked questions about how the situation escalated so fast.

A closer look points to a combination of new crew duty rules that reduced available pilot hours and technical issues at key airports that amplified delays. Together, these factors created a chain reaction that overwhelmed schedules, and the sections below explain what happened and what it means for travelers.

TL;DR

  • IndiGo canceled 200+ flights and delayed hundreds more due to new pilot duty-time rules and airport system outages.
  • India’s updated FDTL norms cut legal pilot hours, increased rest requirements, and sharply reduced night landings.
  • The airline was under-prepared, with lean staffing unable to cover its heavy night schedule.
  • A major check-in system outage (Amadeus) and winter congestion caused delays that cascaded into more cancellations.
  • IndiGo’s on-time performance fell to 35%, far below competitors during the same period.
  • Travelers should expect continuing adjustments and use buffers, morning flights, and proactive rebooking strategies.

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New crew duty rules trigger a pilot shortage

At the heart of IndiGo’s disruption is a pilot and crew shortage caused by new fatigue-prevention regulations. On November 1, 2025, the second phase of India’s updated Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms took effect, sharply reducing how many hours pilots can fly and increasing mandatory rest periods.

IndiGo – which runs an enormous schedule including many late-night flights – struggled to realign its rosters in time for these stricter rules. As a result, many flights had to be cancelled simply because no legal crew was available to operate them under the new limits.

Aviation sources reported entire flight rotations being dropped when pilots who flew earlier in the day “timed out” and could no longer continue under the revised limits.

What changed on Nov 1? The new FDTL rules were designed to combat crew fatigue and improve safety, but they also mean airlines need more crew on staff to run the same schedule. Key changes in the crew duty norms include:

  • Weekly rest requirement: Pilots must now receive at least 48 consecutive hours of rest each week (up from 36 hours previously).
  • Night landing limit: The number of late-night landings a pilot can perform was slashed to 2 (down from 6) in a given period. This dramatically curtails redeye and early-morning operations for carriers like IndiGo.
  • Longer “night” period: The definition of night-duty hours was extended by about one hour , meaning more flights fall into a restricted timeframe that requires additional crew rest or limits on scheduling.
  • Tighter flight hour caps: Regulators imposed stricter caps on total flying time – for example, capping pilots at 8 hours of flight duty per day and 35 hours per week, among other limits. Crews must also receive a rest period at least twice as long as their preceding duty, with a minimum of 10 hours off in any 24-hour window.

These new rules, phased in since July and fully enforced from November, caught IndiGo under-prepared. The airline (and others) had initially opposed the rapid implementation of the norms, warning they would need to hire or train significantly more pilots.

In fact, the rollout was delayed after lobbying by airlines, but ultimately the DGCA (India’s aviation regulator) enforced the changes following a court order. Now, the nearly 67% cut in allowed night landings and other restrictions have “impacted IndiGo’s crew rostering significantly,” hitting IndiGo harder than smaller rivals because of its scale and heavy night schedule.

Pilot unions point out that IndiGo had sufficient notice but failed to proactively plan for these changes. The Airline Pilots’ Association (ALPA) and Federation of Indian Pilots argue that IndiGo’s lean staffing left little slack – a “prolonged… lean manpower strategy” that backfired when the new rules kicked in.

In simpler terms, IndiGo was suddenly left with too many flights and not enough legal crew hours to fly them. By early December, the airline had cancelled over 1,200 flights in the month of November alone as the rules took effect , with more than 750 of those cancellations directly attributed to crew duty-time constraints.

The crew crunch came to a head in the first week of December, forcing drastic last-minute cancellations on a single day. (For context, IndiGo has a fleet of 400+ aircraft and a 60% domestic market share – far more flights to cover than any other Indian carrier.)

Crucially, these cancellations were not due to any technical safety issue with IndiGo’s planes. In fact, the new FDTL rules are intended to enhance safety by preventing pilot fatigue. Regulators and airlines deemed the disruptions an acceptable price for safer skies.

So while the situation is extremely frustrating for travelers, it does not mean IndiGo is unsafe – if anything, flights should be safer with more rested crews. The trade-off, unfortunately, is fewer usable pilot hours, which translates to schedule disruptions until airlines can adjust their staffing.

System glitches and winter congestion amplify the chaos

The crew shortages might have been manageable alone, but IndiGo’s situation was worsened by a wave of technical glitches and airport congestion that hit around the same time.

On December 2, a critical airport check-in system outage struck multiple major hubs in India, including Delhi and Pune, bringing automated check-in and boarding systems to a halt.

Airlines like IndiGo had to switch to manual processes, causing long serpentine queues at terminals and significant delays in boarding. Flights that were ready to depart got stuck on the ground simply because boarding passes and baggage had to be processed by hand.

According to airport officials, a third-party software failure (related to the widely used Amadeus system) was to blame – it affected at least four carriers and lasted for about an hour on Tuesday night. This glitch couldn’t have come at a worse time for IndiGo: any additional delay meant crews risked “timing out” under the new duty limits, which in turn forced even more cancellations as the night went on.

Compounding the problem, India’s busiest airports were already grappling with winter congestion. December marks the start of the peak travel season and winter operations. Higher passenger volumes and seasonal schedule changes (like shifted flight timings for winter) put extra stress on airlines.

In Northern India, early winter fog can trigger delays too, and even a minor delay in one sector can snowball through IndiGo’s tightly scheduled network. Government data showed IndiGo’s on-time performance (OTP) collapsed to 35% on Dec 2 across major metros – meaning nearly two-thirds of its flights that day were late.

By comparison, even the next-worst airline (Air India) managed about 67% on-time, and some others were above 80%.

This indicates how much IndiGo’s network was uniquely overwhelmed, as it operates far more flights. With so many aircraft and crews out of position from earlier delays, subsequent flights kept getting pushed back or cancelled entirely – a domino effect that played out across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and more.

IndiGo acknowledged that a “multitude of unforeseen operational challenges” hit all at once – including **minor tech glitches, winter schedule changes, weather factors, and the new crew rules – which together had a “negative compounding impact”.

In other words, no single factor caused the meltdown: it was the combination of fatigue rules tightening capacity, technology outages slowing down operations, and dense traffic with little margin for recovery. The airline said these disruptions were “not feasible to be anticipated” in such combination.

By Wednesday Dec 3, IndiGo proactively implemented a “network reset” – canceling and rescheduling dozens of flights over 48 hours – to halt the downward spiral and gradually get crews and planes back on track. The DGCA (regulator) also stepped in to investigate and demanded IndiGo’s plan to fix the situation.

What it means for travelers (and how to protect your trip)

If you’re booked to fly IndiGo (or any Indian airline) in the near future, this disruption could affect your travel plans. IndiGo is a backbone of India’s domestic and short-haul international air travel, so its struggles can ripple across connecting flights in the region. Here are some tips and insights for travelers navigating this situation:

  • Expect Ongoing Schedule Adjustments: IndiGo has been actively tweaking its schedule to stabilize operations. This means last-minute flight changes or cancellations may continue for a few days as the airline repositions crews. Stay alert to notifications – check your flight status frequently via IndiGo’s website or app before heading to the airport. The airline has urged customers to do so to minimize surprise trips to the airport. Sign up for email/SMS alerts and keep an eye on IndiGo’s social media for updates.

  • Build in Extra Time for Connections: If you have a tight connection (especially international) involving an IndiGo flight, consider rescheduling with a longer layover or even an overnight buffer. With the current unpredictability, a delay of 2-3 hours (or a cancellation) is possible. It’s safer to allow more cushion than usual between flights or events. This is especially true for late-night departures, which have been heavily affected by the new rules limiting overnight crew duty. In practice, avoid planning same-day connections that rely on an IndiGo flight arriving on time – give yourself some margin.

  • Prefer Morning or Mid-Day Flights: Whenever possible, book flights earlier in the day. Flights in the morning have a better chance of flying on schedule since the network has had a full night to reset. As the day progresses, delays tend to accumulate across IndiGo’s network. By evening and night, the odds of rolling delays or crew timing issues are higher. Also, night flights are currently more at risk (because pilots can only do two night landings per new rules , and any earlier holdups may push flights past those limits). An added bonus: morning flights are less likely to be impacted by daily weather patterns like fog or congestion later in the day.

  • Know Your Rights & Options: IndiGo has apologized and is offering free rebookings or refunds to affected passengers. If your flight is cancelled, you’re generally entitled to either a seat on an alternate IndiGo flight (space permitting) or a refund. Contact the airline promptly to reschedule – IndiGo’s staff are working round the clock to accommodate travelers. If you booked through a third-party or travel agent, reach out to them as well for assistance in finding alternative routings. It’s a good idea to have the customer service numbers handy when traveling in case you need to rebook quickly.

  • Consider Alternative Carriers if Necessary: While IndiGo’s scale is huge, other Indian airlines were less affected during this incident. For example, SpiceJet, Air Asia India, Vistara, and others maintained on-time performance in the 70–80% range while IndiGo dropped to 35%. If your travel is extremely time-sensitive (e.g. catching an international flight or an event), you might consider booking a backup flight on another carrier. That said, keep in mind competitors also faced some delays and have smaller networks – they could fill up fast if IndiGo passengers move over. Always compare schedules and punctuality, and avoid cutting it close with any carrier during peak winter months.

  • Travel Insurance and Documentation: This episode is a reminder of the value of travel insurance for covering unexpected cancellations or long delays. If you have travel insurance, check if it covers accommodation and meals for delay or cancellation. Also, keep all receipts and records (emails from the airline, boarding passes, etc.). If you incur extra costs (hotel, new tickets) due to a cancellation, these documents can help in claiming refunds or insurance later. IndiGo’s disruption is a known event now, so insurers and airlines are aware – don’t hesitate to politely ask for compensation or waivers if you’re stuck for reasons beyond your control.

IndiGo’s situation is improving by the day as emergency schedule fixes take effect. The airline is adding crew and adjusting flights to close the gap and expects to normalize operations soon. These new safety rules are ultimately about making flying safer for everyone, even if the adjustment period is rocky.

If you’re flying through India, stay informed, double-check your flight status, and build in a buffer where you can. By taking the precautions above, you can better protect your itinerary – and still get where you need to go, even as IndiGo and Indian aviation work through this unusual turbulence.

FAQ

Q1. Why did IndiGo cancel so many flights?
New flight duty rules sharply reduced legal pilot hours, and the airline did not have enough staff to cover its dense schedule, leading to widespread cancellations.

Q2. How did the new FDTL rules change pilot schedules?
They increased weekly rest, reduced night landings, extended the night-duty window, and imposed stricter daily and weekly hour caps.

Q3. Why was IndiGo hit harder than other Indian airlines?
IndiGo operates India’s largest fleet and many late-night flights. Its tight staffing left little flexibility once the new duty limits took effect.

Q4. Did technical failures contribute to the meltdown?
Yes. A check-in system outage forced manual processing at major airports, causing long queues and delays that pushed more crews past their legal limits.

Q5. Was this a safety issue with IndiGo’s aircraft?
No. The aircraft were safe. The disruption was operational, and the FDTL rules are designed to improve safety by preventing pilot fatigue.

Q6. How many flights did IndiGo cancel overall?
More than 1,200 flights were cancelled in November, with more than 750 directly tied to the new duty-time constraints.

Q7. Why did delays snowball so quickly?
IndiGo’s huge network meant even small delays pushed many pilots into timed-out status, forcing cancellations and leaving aircraft out of position.

Q8. How long will it take for IndiGo to stabilize operations?
The airline has begun a network reset and expects gradual improvement, but fluctuations may continue for several days.

Q9. What can travelers do to avoid disruption?
Book morning flights, build in long layovers, monitor flight status frequently, and consider alternate carriers for time-sensitive trips.

Q10. Are passengers entitled to refunds or rebooking?
Yes. IndiGo is offering rebooking or refunds for cancelled flights. Keep receipts and contact the airline or your booking provider promptly.