Over 1,000 IndiGo flights were cancelled in December 2025, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and sparking nationwide outrage. A plea has been filed urging the Chief Justice of India to take suo motu action against the airline’s operational failures.
The aviation regulator DGCA rolled out stricter crew‑duty and rest regulations under the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms, with the final phase entering effect on 1 November 2025.
Under the revised norm, pilots’ weekly rest was increased from 36 to 48 hours, night duty hours were redefined (night period extended), and number of permitted night landings and night‑flight duty hours were significantly restricted.
When IndiGo — which operates one of the country’s busiest flight networks — failed to strengthen its pilot roster or adjust scheduling buffers adequately, it led to acute crew shortages and disrupted roster planning.
By early December 2025, the impact became severe. On 4 December 2025, more than 550 flights of IndiGo were cancelled across India as the disruption deepened.
On 5 December 2025, the airline cancelled over 1,000 flights nationwide, marking the fourth consecutive day of widespread cancellations; many domestic departures from major airports including Delhi were grounded until midnight.
Airports across Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and other hubs experienced chaos — with long queues, stranded passengers, unclaimed baggage, and widespread anger among travellers.
Faced with mounting backlash, on 5 December 2025, DGCA issued a one‑time exemption for IndiGo: it withdrew the rule that prevented airlines from counting crew leave as weekly rest, thereby restoring some roster flexibility.
This exemption relaxed critical portions of the FDTL norms — notably night‑duty restrictions and leave‑for‑rest prohibition. Concurrently, DGCA initiated a formal investigation, asking IndiGo to submit a comprehensive plan to address the crew shortage, roster mis‑planning and operational failures that triggered the crisis.
The fallout has been substantial: thousands of travellers were left stranded, flights cancelled with little or no notice, and many missed important commitments such as personal events or business travel.
In response, IndiGo waived cancellation and rescheduling fees for affected bookings (for travel between 5 December 2025 and 15 December 2025), promised automatic refunds, and offered support including accommodation, baggage assistance and other basic services, as part of efforts to mitigate passenger distress.
IndiGo’s leadership has projected a gradual restoration of services: the airline targets full recovery and stability by 10 February 2026, though partial normalisation of operations was expected sooner, possibly between 10–15 December 2025.
DGCA Sets Up Committee to Probe IndiGo Flight Cancellations
Following the massive disruption caused by IndiGo’s flight cancellations in November–December 2025, the DGCA established a four-member committee on 5 December 2025 to conduct a comprehensive review and assessment of the circumstances leading to these operational disruptions.
The committee was tasked with examining deficiencies in internal oversight, operational preparedness, and compliance with revised fatigue rules (effective July and November 2025).
The DGCA noted that IndiGo had failed to adequately forecast crew availability, train staff, and realign rosters, resulting in cancellations reaching 170–200 flights daily during the peak disruption period.
The committee comprises Mr Sanjay K. Bramhaune (Joint Director General), Mr Amit Gupta (Deputy Director General), Capt. Kapil Manglik (SFOI), and Capt. Lokesh Rampal (FOI), is responsible for assessing the airline’s planning gaps, operational shortcomings, and suggesting corrective measures to prevent such large-scale disruptions in future.
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