India’s largest airline, IndiGo, has faced massive disruptions this week, with hundreds of flights cancelled and thousands of passengers stranded across major airports. The cancellations have sparked widespread frustration, but the underlying reasons reveal a deeper operational crisis.
Pilot Shortage and Rostering Issues
The primary cause of the cancellations is a shortage of pilots, compounded by new rest and duty norms introduced by aviation regulators. These rules mandate longer rest periods for pilots to ensure safety, but IndiGo reportedly failed to anticipate the impact on its already stretched workforce. As a result, pilot rosters collapsed, leaving the airline unable to operate its scheduled flights.
IndiGo operates nearly 400 flights daily from Delhi alone, and when disruptions began there, the ripple effect quickly spread to Bengaluru, Chennai, and other major airports. On some days, more than 400 flights were cancelled nationwide, with delays stretching up to 12 hours.
Passenger Chaos and Airline Response
Scenes of chaos unfolded at airports, with passengers staging protests, complaining of misplaced baggage, and demanding accountability. Many travelers were stranded for three days or more, highlighting the scale of the crisis.
In response, IndiGo issued a public apology, acknowledging the “immense inconvenience and distress” caused. The airline promised automatic refunds to affected passengers and waived all cancellation and rescheduling fees for travel between December 5 and 15, 2025.
Wider Impact on Aviation
The crisis has drawn the attention of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which has asked IndiGo’s leadership to explain the planning deficiencies and outline a recovery strategy. Other airlines have continued operations normally, underscoring that the issue is specific to IndiGo’s internal rostering and workforce management.
IndiGo has warned that cancellations may continue until December 8, and has sought time until February 2026 to fully stabilize operations.
The real reason behind IndiGo’s mass cancellations is a combination of pilot shortage, poor rostering, and new regulatory rest norms. While safety rules are essential, the airline’s inability to plan for them has left passengers bearing the brunt of the disruption. With over 1,000 flights cancelled in just four days, the incident highlights the urgent need for better workforce management and contingency planning in India’s aviation sector.
