India’s largest airline, IndiGo, continued to grapple with widespread operational disruptions on Thursday, forcing the cancellation of 550 flights across the country. Major airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad saw at least 191 cancellations, triggering long queues, confusion, and frustration among travellers.
Airline Issues Apology Amid Network-Wide Chaos
In a public statement, the airline acknowledged the scale of the crisis and apologised to affected passengers.
“The last two days have seen widespread disruption across IndiGo’s network and operations. We extend a heartfelt apology to all our customers and industry stakeholders who have been impacted,” the carrier said. “Our teams are working diligently with the support of MOCA, DGCA, BCAS, AAI and various airport operators to reduce the cascading impact of these delays and restore normalcy.”
The airline added that customers would be kept informed of any changes and urged travellers to check their latest flight status before heading to airports.
Over 300 Flights Cancelled in a Day as Disruptions Mount
The latest wave of cancellations adds to a troubling pattern. IndiGo has been battling severe operational challenges for the past several days. On Thursday alone, more than 300 flights were cancelled, with many more delayed across its network.
The situation has been deteriorating since November, during which 1,232 flights were cancelled and several others reported extended delays.
DGCA Launches Probe Into Declining Performance
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has stepped in, launching an investigation into the airline’s rapid decline in operational reliability. The regulator has asked IndiGo to clearly explain the reasons behind the surge in flight cancellations and delays.
In its response, IndiGo cited a combination of factors, including:
- Staff shortages
- Air Traffic Control (ATC) failures
- Airport restrictions
- Other operational challenges
Breaking down the November disruptions, the airline revealed that:
- 755 flights were cancelled due to staff shortages
- 92 flights due to ATC issues
- 258 flights due to airport restrictions
- 127 flights for miscellaneous reasons
The aviation body has advised the airline to adopt corrective measures, including hiring more crew, to strengthen operations.
Passenger Frustration Spills Over on Social Media
As cancellations piled up, disappointed passengers shared photos, videos, and personal accounts of long delays and crowded terminals on social media platforms. Many questioned the airline’s preparedness and communication strategy, adding to mounting pressure on the carrier.
IndiGo CEO Shares Internal Apology as Email Goes Viral
In an internal email that later surfaced online, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers apologised to employees and customers while outlining the causes behind the disruptions.
“We serve close to 380,000 customers a day and want each of them to have a good experience. We could not live up to that promise these past days, and we have publicly apologised for that,” he wrote.
He attributed the cascading operational fallout to minor tech glitches, schedule changes, adverse weather, rising aviation congestion, and the implementation of FDTL norms, all of which contributed to the turmoil.
What Happens Next?
With the DGCA monitoring the situation closely and IndiGo pledging corrective measures, passengers will be hoping for swift improvements. Yet the episode raises a broader question: how can India’s busiest airline safeguard its operations in an increasingly strained aviation ecosystem?
