(Image source from: Economictimes.indiatimes.com)
IndiGo is experiencing significant flight delays and cancellations because of problems with technology, crowded airports, and operational challenges. This disruption has stranded many travelers at various airports.
On Wednesday, several major airports like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru reported nearly 200 flight cancellations by the afternoon. According to the news agency PTI, at least 38 flights were canceled at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, while Bengaluru and Mumbai saw over 70 cancellations. In Hyderabad, around 19 IndiGo flights, both arriving and departing, were canceled. Additionally, on Tuesday, 20 IndiGo flights were canceled in Bengaluru. Passengers at the airports have reported severe delays, lasting from one to three hours, for IndiGo flights during the past week.
Government statistics indicated that only 35% of the airline's flights were on schedule on December 2, and 49.5% were timely on December 1.
In an announcement, the airline expressed regret for the widespread disruptions and mentioned that their teams are striving to return to normal operations quickly. An IndiGo spokesperson stated, "We have experienced several unavoidable delays and some cancellations recently due to different issues, including technology troubles, airport crowding, and operational needs." The airline mentioned that it is providing alternative flight options or refunds for those affected. "Our teams are putting in a lot of effort to ensure that operations get back to normal as soon as possible... We apologize for the inconvenience caused to our esteemed customers due to these disruptions."
Passengers have been advised to verify their flight status before going to the airport. The spokesperson remarked, "We encourage customers to check the latest flight status… to help us reduce inconvenience." The airline is facing a significant pilot shortage since the new flight duty time limitation (FDTL) rules were implemented last month, which establish more reasonable schedules for crew members.
"IndiGo has been struggling with a serious crew shortage since the second phase of the FDTL norms took effect, causing cancellations and significant delays in its operations across airports," a source informed PTI.
The newly established flight duty time limitation rules, which require longer weekly rest periods of 48 hours, extended night hours, and limit the number of night landings to two instead of six, were initially opposed by IndiGo and Air India. However, these regulations were eventually introduced by the DGCA following orders from the Delhi High Court, albeit after a delay of more than a year and in a phased manner with some variations for airlines. The Gurugram-based airline now runs about 2,100 domestic and international flights, many of them at night. As of December 2, IndiGo had 416 planes in its fleet, with 366 of them active and 50 on the ground, an increase from 47 the previous month.
