India's aviation regulator has significantly cut IndiGo's flight schedule, ordering the airline to reduce its daily operations by 10 percent. This decision by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) follows a period of widespread flight cancellations and severe disruptions that left thousands of passengers stranded across the country. The cut means IndiGo will operate approximately 220 fewer flights each day from its winter schedule.^[1][2][3][4] ### Crisis Triggers Regulatory Action The operational crisis at IndiGo began in early December, stemming primarily from the airline's inadequate preparation for new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules. These stricter pilot rest and duty norms took effect on November 1, 2025. Despite the upcoming changes, IndiGo had increased its daily domestic flights by 6 percent for the winter schedule, reaching 15,014 weekly departures. This expansion, coupled with crew shortages, led to a major mismatch between scheduled flights and available pilots.^{[5][6][7][2][8]} IndiGo attributed the widespread disruptions to a "compounding effect of multiple factors." These included minor technical glitches, routine schedule changes for the winter season, adverse weather conditions, and increased congestion within the aviation system. However, regulators pointed to planning and resource management failures regarding the new FDTL rules.^[5][7][2] Between December 1 and December 9, IndiGo cancelled more than 4,000 domestic flights. This caused significant inconvenience for passengers at major airports like Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai. The airline processed refunds totaling ₹827 crore and arranged 9,500 hotel stays for affected travelers. ^[6][9][10]### Government Doubles Flight Cuts Initially, the DGCA ordered IndiGo to reduce its flight operations by 5 percent, which amounted to a cut of 115 daily flights from its approximately 2,300 daily services. H^[5][6][11]owever, due to ongoing operational issues and the scale of the disruptions, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) intervened. The ministry instructed IndiGo to curtail its schedule by 10 percent, effectively doubling the initial reduction. ^[1][2][3]Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu stated that the 10 percent cut was necessary to stabilize IndiGo's operations and reduce cancellations. "The Ministry considers it necessary to curtail the overall IndiGo routes, which will help in stabilizing the airline's operations and lead to reduced cancellations," Naidu said. He also explained that this reduction would allow other airlines to increase their capacity and fill the gap, fostering competition. ^[2][3]The government also capped airfares on affected routes to prevent airlines from exploiting the situation with surging prices. One-way trips up to 500 kilometers were capped at ₹7,500, while routes between 1,000 and 1,500 kilometers, such as Delhi-Mumbai, were capped at ₹15,000. Other airlines, including Air India, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air, were asked to add flights to manage the increased passenger demand. ### ^[1][3]Impact and Path Forward The DGCA has intensified its scrutiny of IndiGo's operations. The regulator issued show-cause notices to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and COO Isidre Porqueras, demanding a comprehensive report on the disruptions. A spe^[6][2][10]cial four-member DGCA committee is reviewing IndiGo's manpower planning, crew rostering, and readiness for the new regulations. In a^[1][10] significant move, the DGCA also suspended four Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs) in connection with the crisis. These officials are responsible for ensuring aviation safety through inspections, audits, and certification of airlines and personnel. Their suspension highlights the regulatory body's serious view of the operational failures. Indi^{[12][9][10][13]}Go has acknowledged the difficulties faced by passengers and expressed deep regret for the inconvenience. The airline stated that it is realistically not possible to pinpoint the exact causes of the disruption immediately due to the complexity of its operations. IndiGo is working to stabilize its services, increase pilot recruitment, rework flight schedules, and improve passenger support. They aim to reduce dependence on tight rotations and enhance refund and rescheduling processes. Desp^[6][2][8]ite the ongoing challenges, Civil Aviation Minister Naidu reported that flight operations were "stabilizing fast." He emphasized that aviation safety remains non-negotiable. The government's actions aim to ensure passenger safety and operational reliability across the Indian aviation sector. META^[10]_TITLE: DGCA Cuts IndiGo Flights by 10%, 220 Daily Services Reduced

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