News Desk – India’s largest airline, IndiGo, continued to face massive operational problems for the third day in a row, leading to nearly 600 flight cancellations on Friday. This comes on top of over 550 cancellations on Thursday, causing major disruption for thousands of passengers across the country.
Which Airports Faced the Worst Impact?
The busiest airports — Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad — were hit the hardest.
Delhi Airport: All 235 IndiGo flights (arrivals and departures) have been cancelled until 12 am Saturday.
Mumbai Airport: 104 flights cancelled — 53 departures and 51 arrivals.
Bengaluru Airport: 102 flights cancelled — 52 arrivals and 50 departures.
Hyderabad Airport: 92 cancellations — 43 arrivals and 49 departures.
Pune Airport: 32 flights cancelled between 12 am and 8 am. One flight from Nagpur was diverted to Hyderabad.
Kolkata Airport: Between Wednesday and Friday, 92 cancellations and 320 delayed flights out of 468 scheduled.
Thiruvananthapuram Airport: Over the last two days, multiple delays and 4 cancellations on Friday alone.
Ahmedabad Airport: 50 departing and 36 arriving flights cancelled.
Why Is This Happening?
IndiGo says the main reason is a shortage of pilots, worsened by the winter flight schedule.
The airline also pointed to new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) — rules that restrict pilot working hours and demand more rest time. IndiGo says these rules have increased pressure on its already stretched crew resources.
IndiGo has asked the government for partial relaxation of these rules until operations become stable, which the airline expects may take until February 2026.
Passenger Struggle Across Airports
Many passengers were left stranded, with long queues at help desks and major delays across terminals. Airports have advised all travellers to check flight status before leaving home.
Pune Airport also reported parking bay congestion, as many IndiGo aircraft were stuck on the ground waiting for available pilots.
IndiGo Issues Apology
On Thursday evening, IndiGo posted an apology on X (formerly Twitter):
“IndiGo deeply regrets the inconvenience caused and is working closely with aviation authorities to restore normal operations.”
The airline said teams are coordinating with DGCA, AAI, BCAS, and MOCA to reduce delays and manage the ongoing disruptions.
Government Steps In
During a review meeting called by Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, IndiGo admitted that the new FDTL rules have contributed to its crew shortage.
The airline has formally asked the government for some leniency in these norms to help stabilise flight operations.
