IndiGo has told the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that flight cancellations will continue for another two to three days as the airline works to stabilise its disrupted schedule. India’s largest carrier has been cancelling 170–200 flights a day since late November, following the rollout of stricter crew-fatigue regulations under Phase-2 of the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms.
The aviation regulator on Thursday reviewed the situation with senior IndiGo executives after widespread disruptions across the network left thousands of passengers stranded.
At the review meeting chaired by the DGCA chief, IndiGo cited a combination of transitional challenges in crew rostering, winter operational constraints and compliance requirements under the new FDTL rules.
The airline said limited availability of night-time slots had further disrupted operations. “As the slots are only available during night, this has resulted in further impact on operations. The sharp increase in duty share during night-time operations has further constrained crew availability,” IndiGo informed the regulator.
The carrier has sought temporary relaxations for certain night-duty provisions applicable to A320 operations until 10 February 2026.
IndiGo said more cancellations are expected over the next two to three days as part of its efforts to recalibrate schedules.
The airline has committed to restoring stable operations by February 10 and will trim its flight schedule from December 8 to minimise disruption. It is also increasing manpower and enhancing passenger-support measures at major airports.
The DGCA has directed IndiGo to submit a comprehensive plan covering crew recruitment, roster restructuring and mitigation measures, along with fortnightly progress updates.
Field inspections at key airports—including Delhi’s Terminal 1—have highlighted gaps in passenger-handling arrangements, prompting the regulator to intensify its monitoring.
The DGCA said it will continue strict, real-time oversight of IndiGo’s network performance, recovery efforts and on-ground passenger management in the days ahead.
