What triggered the IndiGo Airline fiasco? Aviation experts believe that the new crew-rostering and FDTL rules are to blame to some extent. It came into effect on November 1, 2025. The DGCA-approved rules entitle pilots and cabin crew to additional rest hours, which ultimately led to an acute staff shortage. The rules entitle pilots to 48 hours of rest, instead of 36. It resulted in flight delays and, later, mass cancellations. More than 1,000 flights were canceled on a single day on December 5, 2025. It left thousands of people stranded at airports. Some were to attend weddings, funerals, visit family, attend events, exams, or head out for vacations.
What’s at the Heart of the Crisis? – It’s IndiGo’s Failure to Adapt to Changes
Obviously, the new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rolled out by DGCA last month was seen as the precursor that triggered this IndiGo mayhem. More than the rules, the faulty roster implementation by the IndiGo management further aggravated the scenario. The worst-hit are New Delhi and Bengaluru, followed by Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Lucknow, and Ahmedabad.
The crisis is full-blown and still prevails. As of December 9, more than 500 IndiGo flights have faced cancellations. In response, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has asked the carrier to cut 10% of its scheduled winter flights from the previous 5% order, a day earlier. This move came even after the private airline was initially given the green signal to increase its flights to over 6 percent a few days ago. However, the inability of IndiGo to streamline its operations forced MoCA to penalize the carrier. With the latest move, the company loses roughly 215-220 flights per day, as it operates over 2,200 domestic and international flights.
NOTE: The CEO of IndiGo Airlines, Pieter Elbers, was summoned by MoCA earlier on Tuesday to brief government officials on the issue and inform them about the measures taken to tackle the situation. The government wants the carrier to submit a revised flight schedule by Wednesday evening.
DGCA’s Show-Cause Notice to IndiGo Airlines
IndiGo management sought more time from DGCA in response to the show-cause notices served to its top brass. According to company officials, they require more time to pinpoint the exact cause that led to the fallout. However, they were quick to render an apology, saying the airline was “profusely apologetic” for the hardships caused to passengers. The Civil Aviation Minister of India, Ram Mohan Naidu, has clearly stated that IndiGo flight cancellations over the past week were solely due to the internal crisis and mismanagement of the airline company. Earlier, the minister had warned of exemplary action against the low-cost carrier.
IndiGo’s Reputation as a Market Leader in Low-Cost Flight Operations takes a Beating
With the ongoing crisis amid large-scale flight cancellations, IndiGo’s flowery reputation is at stake. It is not only impacting revenues but also delivering a severe blow to its pan-India reputation. The low-cost carrier’s future expansion plans may be in jeopardy, as it has ordered a fleet of more than 500 narrow and wide-bodied airplanes from Airbus and Boeing to augment its growing domestic and international operations.
Summing it up
The utter chaos and confusion at airports have forced the government to crack the whip. However, the central aviation regulatory body, DGCA, has relaxed some FDTL norms for airlines. This move aims to normalize flight operations. It can be said that the fault lines are within IndiGo’s HR policy, operations, and manpower planning. They had several months to implement the new FDTL rules, but somehow failed to adapt to the changes, whereas their competitors had no such issues. The government plans to identify the gaps and fix them. Meanwhile, customers can claim compensation from the airline company, as legal experts state that IndiGo is bound to compensate them under the DGCA rules and the Consumer Protection Act.
FAQs
Q1. What exactly triggered the IndiGo flight cancellations and chaos?
The immediate trigger was the enforcement of new crew-rostering rules under the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), effective from November 1, 2025, which mandated longer rest hours for pilots and crew. However, the disruption escalated because IndiGo failed to reorganise its pilot roster properly, leading to acute staff shortages as winter scheduling demand surged.
Q2. How many flights were cancelled and over what period?
According to public data, thousands of flights were cancelled in early December. For instance, on a single day (5 December 2025), more than 1,000 flights were cancelled.
As of 9 December, reports indicated around 500 or more flights remained cancelled even after partial restoration.
Q3. Why couldn’t IndiGo handle the new FDTL rules correctly despite the warning?
Though the rule changes had been announced well in advance, IndiGo reportedly did not adjust operations or recruit enough pilots. Analysts note that the airline continued operating as a lean organisation with minimal buffer capacity, which made it vulnerable once stricter rest and duty norms kicked in. Moreover, its winter schedule (approved by DGCA) significantly increased flight frequency without matching crew-strength increases — a critical planning oversight.
Q4. What has been the response of the regulator (DGCA) and the government (MoCA)?
DGCA issued a show‑cause notice to IndiGo’s top leadership, seeking explanations for what it called serious lapses in planning, oversight, and resource management. Furthermore, MoCA directed IndiGo to reduce its scheduled winter flights by 10% (up from an initial 5% cut) to stabilize operations while investigations and corrective actions are underway.
Q5. What are the consequences for passengers? Can they claim compensation or refunds?
Yes. Affected passengers are eligible for compensation and refunds under DGCA’s regulations and the relevant consumer‑protection laws, given the massive cancellations and disruptions. IndiGo has reportedly apologised and committed to offering remedies for the inconveniences caused.
Q6. Could this crisis affect IndiGo’s long‑term reputation and expansion plans?
Absolutely. The debacle has dented IndiGo’s reputation as India’s leading low‑cost carrier. Loss of customer trust, regulatory scrutiny, and possible operational restrictions may slow down its aggressive expansion of fleet and network.
