India's travel chaos has worsened after the country's largest airline IndiGo cancelled hundreds of scheduled flights on Friday after three days of widespread disruption across its network.
The carrier, which has a 60% market share in India and operates more than 2,000 flights daily, is grappling with pilot shortages after failing to adapt to new crew rostering rules.
As a busy travel season unfolds, thousands of passengers find themselves stranded across India, with all IndiGo flights from the capital Delhi being cancelled. The airline has indicated that it expects to restore normal operations only by 10 February and is seeking temporary relief from the new regulations requiring more rest hours for pilots and restricting night duty.
Starting from 8 December, IndiGo plans to reduce its flight operations to mitigate disruptions. The government is reportedly monitoring the situation closely, expressing dissatisfaction with IndiGo's management of the crisis.
According to India's aviation regulator, the disruptions resulted from misjudgment and planning gaps concerning the new flight duty time limitation regulations. IndiGo has been directed to quickly formulate a detailed plan addressing crew recruitment, training, roster restructuring, safety-risk assessments, and other mitigation strategies.
Local reports suggest IndiGo has received exemptions from some new pilot rest rules, easing the burden of combining pilot leave with required rest periods. However, the Airline Pilots Association of India has criticized this move, arguing it undermines safety and the intent of the new regulations.
December marks a significant travel period in India, coinciding with school holidays and numerous weddings. In response to the flight cancellations, IndiGo is waiving cancellation fees for travel scheduled between 5 and 15 December, while also arranging hotel accommodations and meals for impacted passengers.
Despite these efforts, many passengers have taken to social media to voice their frustrations over inadequate communication and remaining stranded at airports without provisions. Singapore’s High Commissioner to India, Simon Wong, expressed his disbelief while missing a wedding due to the cancellations.
Authorities at major airports in Delhi, Mumbai, and other regions are urging travelers to verify their flight statuses before heading to the airport, as the travel turmoil continues to unfold.
