IndiGo Cancels All Domestic Flights from Delhi Amid Pilot Shortage Crisis
IndiGo Flight Cancellations in Delhi
On Friday, all domestic flights operated by IndiGo from Delhi were cancelled until midnight, as confirmed by the airport authorities.
In contrast, flights from other airlines continued to operate as per their schedules, according to the Delhi airport.
The cancellation of IndiGo flights is part of a larger disruption that began earlier in the week. This situation arose due to a pilot shortage, which was exacerbated by the airline's failure to adjust its roster in line with new government regulations, as reported by various sources.
IndiGo, the largest airline in India by market share, informed the regulatory body on Thursday that it expects to fully restore its operations by February 10. The airline has also requested exemptions from certain regulations that restrict pilot duty hours during nighttime.
The revised rostering guidelines introduced by the regulator in January 2024 were intended to address pilot fatigue and were set to take effect on June 1. However, airlines requested a delay in implementation due to staffing issues and operational difficulties, leading to the changes being enforced on November 1 instead.
Late Thursday, IndiGo issued an apology to its passengers and advised them to verify their flight status before arriving at the airport.
The airline stated that it is working closely with various authorities, including the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, to mitigate the effects of these delays and restore normal operations.
On Friday, opposition leader Rahul Gandhi criticized the situation, attributing the disruptions to the government's monopoly model. He expressed that ordinary citizens are bearing the brunt of the delays and cancellations, stating, “India deserves fair competition in every sector, not match-fixing monopolies.”
On Wednesday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation announced that it is investigating the flight disruptions and has requested IndiGo to provide explanations for the cancellations and delays, along with a plan to restore normal schedules.
Reports indicate that IndiGo cancelled over 550 flights on Thursday and approximately 400 on Friday, as noted by a leading news outlet.