550+ IndiGo flights cancelled on Thursday; airline says operations to stabilise by Feb 10

IndiGo on Thursday told the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that it expects full operational stability by 10 February 2026 and has requested temporary relaxations in flight duty time limitations (FDTL) norms. The update came on a day the airline cancelled more than 550 flights, disrupting travel for hundreds of passengers.

The airline acknowledged that the disruptions seen in recent days stem from misjudgment and planning gaps during the rollout of the second phase of FDTL norms. IndiGo told the regulator that more cancellations will continue until 8 December, followed by a reduction in services from that date.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu held a high-level review meeting on Thursday and expressed displeasure at IndiGo’s handling of the new FDTL implementation despite having adequate time to prepare.

Sources said the airline cancelled more than 550 domestic and international flights on Thursday, with delays reported at multiple airports. IndiGo, which usually operates around 2,300 flights daily and highlights punctuality as a key metric, recorded an on-time performance of 19.7 per cent on Wednesday, down from 35 per cent on Tuesday.

The minister has directed the airline to proactively inform passengers of any likely cancellations, while DGCA will monitor operations in real time. Authorities are also tracking airfares for any spike linked to disruptions, and the airline has been asked to ensure fares do not rise due to the situation. Officers have been deployed to IndiGo’s operational control centres for continuous oversight, according to the civil aviation ministry.

IndiGo has sought exemptions from certain FDTL requirements for A320 operations until 10 February 2026 as part of efforts to restore stability. DGCA will review the request.

The airline informed the regulator that, for December, it has 2,357 captains and 2,194 first officers available for A320-family operations. In November, the requirement was 2,422 captains and 2,153 first officers, and the numbers rose after the second-phase FDTL rollout. In October, the requirement was 2,186 captains and 1,948 first officers. The data shows a crew shortfall, a key element behind the disruptions, and with the new norms reducing allowable night landings per pilot, night operations have been hit.

IndiGo said crew needs exceeded internal projections and shared updated data, including forecasts. The airline has informed DGCA that corrective actions are underway and full stabilisation will be achieved by 10 February 2026, though more cancellations are expected in the coming days. A reduction in flight operations from 8 December is planned to minimise disruption, DGCA said.

The regulator has asked IndiGo to submit a detailed roadmap covering projected crew recruitment, aircraft induction-linked staffing, training plans, roster restructuring, safety-risk assessments and mitigation measures. IndiGo must also submit a progress report every 15 days on operational improvements, crew availability and roster stability.

A DGCA team inspected Delhi airport’s Terminal 1 on Thursday, where IndiGo has significant operations. The team observed that passenger-handling manpower was inadequate to manage disruption-driven crowding. DGCA has directed the airline to urgently increase staffing and strengthen passenger-support services across affected terminals.

Meanwhile, the Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA) said IndiGo’s disruptions reflect failures in proactive resource planning by major carriers and suggested there may be attempts to pressure DGCA into diluting new duty-time norms. The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) alleged IndiGo imposed a “hiring freeze” despite a two-year preparation window before the full rollout of the new FDTL and rest-period norms.

IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers told staff that restoring normal operations and punctuality will not be an “easy target”.