Air travel in India faced major disruption for the fourth consecutive day as the IndiGo crisis leaves thousands of passengers stranded. On Friday, the airline canceled around 500 flights, including all departures from the capital, New Delhi, due to challenges in adapting to new pilot flying time regulations.
Passengers at major airports expressed frustration over the disruptions, with some protesting loudly. A video shared on X showed a group at Bengaluru airport chanting, “Down with IndiGo! Down with IndiGo!” The airline, which controls 60% of India’s aviation market, has warned that full operations may not resume until February 10.
The ongoing IndiGo crisis leaves many travelers unsure about their travel plans. The disruption stems from new pilot duty rules introduced last year, which came into effect on November 1. The regulations increased mandatory weekly rest for pilots by 12 hours to 48 hours and restricted night-time landings to two per week, down from six under previous rules.
Authorities have temporarily eased the night-duty restrictions, granting IndiGo an exemption until February 10. This may provide some relief, but the airline continues to face planning and operational challenges. IndiGo stated that the cancellations were primarily caused by “misjudgment and planning gaps.” Other Indian carriers have reportedly not faced similar issues under the new rules.
On Friday alone, Delhi airport canceled 235 IndiGo departures. Chennai canceled all flights to major metro airports until 6 p.m., while Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad saw 104, 102, and 92 cancellations, respectively. The airline has not yet confirmed a date for full resumption of flights.
The IndiGo crisis leaves the airline’s shares down nearly 3% on Friday, contributing to a 10.3% slump for the week. Meanwhile, India’s main opposition party has called for a parliamentary discussion to address the ongoing disruption in the country’s largest airline.
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