IndiGo Faces Major Flight Cancellations Amid Controversial Duty Norms

IndiGo has faced significant disruptions, cancelling over 400 flights across major airports due to new flight duty regulations. The airline's CEO issued an apology after a previous wave of over 1,000 cancellations. The DGCA provided temporary relief, but the pilots' association has raised concerns about safety and regulatory fairness. As the situation unfolds, the implications for passengers and the airline industry are becoming increasingly significant. Read on to learn more about the ongoing challenges faced by IndiGo and the reactions from various stakeholders.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 6, 2025, 12:52 IST

Flight Disruptions Across Major Airports

Mumbai: IndiGo, a leading domestic airline, has cancelled over 400 flights from four key airports on Saturday, following a brief period of relief regarding new flight duty and rest period regulations for cockpit crews, as per sources.

At Bengaluru airport, 124 flights were cancelled, comprising 63 departures and 61 arrivals. Mumbai airport saw 109 cancellations, with 51 departures and 58 arrivals affected. Delhi airport reported 106 cancellations, including 54 departures and 52 arrivals, while Hyderabad airport had 66 flights cancelled.

On Friday, IndiGo had already cancelled more than 1,000 flights nationwide. After three days of silence regarding the crisis, CEO Pieter Elbers issued a video apology for the significant disruptions experienced by passengers.

In his message, Elbers indicated that the airline anticipated fewer than 1,000 flights on Saturday.

It is important to note that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had provided temporary relief to IndiGo on Friday by adjusting the night duty definition from 12 am-6 am to 12 am-5 am and permitting pilots to conduct six night landings instead of two, among other relaxations.

However, the Airlines' Pilots Association (ALPA) India has expressed strong objections to the DGCA's selective relief measures, labeling them as 'unsafe' and claiming they compromise regulatory fairness while increasing risks for millions of passengers.

Following a meeting on December 5 with ALPA India and other pilot associations, the Ministry of Civil Aviation announced that the implementation of the revised Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) regulations would be paused.

ALPA India voiced its concerns, stating that this decision contradicts the Court's directives aimed at enforcing fatigue-mitigation standards based on aviation science.

They emphasized that delaying the FDTL not only undermines judicial authority but also elevates risks for both pilots and passengers by postponing crucial fatigue protections.

The association urged the Civil Aviation Ministry and the regulator to adhere to the Court's order and prioritize the safety of pilots and travelers over commercial interests.

IndiGo was the first airline to challenge the new FDTL regulations when they were introduced in January 2024, arguing that more time was needed to implement the changes due to additional crew requirements. The new FDTL regulations, which include increased weekly rest periods and a reduction in night landings, faced initial opposition from other domestic airlines, including Air India.

Despite this, the DGCA rolled out the FDTL regulations following directives from the Delhi High Court, albeit with a delay of over a year and with specific adjustments for airlines like IndiGo and Air India.

The first phase of these regulations took effect in July, while the second phase, which limited night landings from six to two, was implemented on November 1. Originally, these norms were scheduled for rollout in March 2024.