India's largest airline, IndiGo, cancelled 152 flights in Delhi and affected 121 operations in Bengaluru on Tuesday, December 9, as an extensive disruption entered its eighth consecutive day. The cancellations were part of a wider impact across six major metro airports, where IndiGo axed a total of 422 flights. Thousands of passengers faced significant travel chaos, including delays and last-minute cancellations.^{[1][2][3][4][5]} ### Widespread Flight Disruptions Beyond Delhi and Bengaluru, other major cities also experienced substantial flight disruptions. Hyderabad saw 58 IndiGo flight cancellations, while Mumbai recorded 41. More than 50 flights were also cancelled at Chennai Airport.^[1][3][4][5] The widespread cancellations left travelers stranded and frustrated at airports nationwide.^[6] In Bengaluru, 58 arrivals and 63 departures were cancelled. Delhi's cancellations included 76 departures and 76 arrivals.^[2][5] The airline's operational meltdown began around December 2, leading to over 4,500 cancellations across its network by December 9.^[7] This period saw IndiGo's on-time performance drop sharply, impacting over 2.66 lakh passengers directly with delays and cancellations.^[3][8] ### Underlying Causes of the Chaos IndiGo attributed the extensive disruptions to a combination of factors. These included minor technology glitches, changes in its winter flight schedule, increased congestion in the aviation system, and adverse weather conditions, particularly dense fog in northern India.^{[9][10][11][12]} However, aviation insiders and regulators largely point to the critical impact of newly implemented Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules.^[10][12] The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) introduced updated FDTL rules in January 2024, with a more stringent phase taking effect on November 1.^[9][10][12] These regulations aim to enhance pilot safety by mandating longer weekly rest periods, expanding the definition of night duty, reducing night landings, and capping duty hours for pilots during night shifts.^[11][12] IndiGo's "lean-staffing" model and high reliance on night flights and aircraft utilization meant the airline had little buffer to absorb these changes.^[6] The new rules forced a significant number of pilots into mandatory rest, creating an acute crew shortage.^[10][12] This, combined with an aggressive winter schedule, exposed deep cracks in IndiGo's crew-planning model.^[6] An urgent Airbus A320 software update in late November also contributed to the disruption, pushing flight delays past midnight and causing cascading cancellations once the new rest rules became active.^[8][12] ### Passenger Hardship and Official Response The operational crisis created significant hardship for passengers. Airports became scenes of long queues, missed connections, and uncertainty.^[6] Many travelers reported last-minute alerts and poor communication from airline staff, leading to frustration and anger.^[7] The disruptions also caused airfares on unaffected flights to surge by 20-30 percent.^[8] In response to the escalating crisis, the Civil Aviation Ministry intervened. Union Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu stated that no airline, regardless of its size, would be permitted to cause such hardship to passengers due to planning failures.^[5] The DGCA issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and Accountable Manager Isidro Porqueras, citing lapses in planning and resource management.^[9][13] The ministry also ordered a 10 percent reduction in IndiGo's winter flight schedule, reallocating these slots to other airlines to help stabilize overall operations and reduce cancellations.^{[3][4][5][14]} To mitigate the impact on travelers, the government also introduced several measures, including ensuring fast refunds for cancelled flights and preventing other airlines from imposing surcharges on airfares.^[9] Indian Railways even launched special train services and added extra coaches on existing routes to meet the increased demand for travel, particularly between major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Hyderabad.^[9] ### IndiGo's Path to Recovery IndiGo officially apologized to its passengers for the widespread disruptions.^[6] CEO Pieter Elbers outlined a three-pronged action plan to address the crisis.^[6] The airline stated it would conduct a "root cause analysis" to understand the precise triggers of the large-scale disruptions.^[13] IndiGo informed the DGCA that it plans to scale down operations and expects to achieve full operational stability by February 10, 2026.^{[11][6][7][12]} In the immediate term, the airline anticipated a return to normal operations between December 10 and 15.^[6][7][13] The DGCA also granted IndiGo a temporary, one-time exemption from certain night-duty and night-landing restrictions for its A320 fleet until February 10, 2026, to assist with the resumption of operations.^[9][6] The airline confirmed it had processed 827 crore rupees in refunds for affected passengers.^[3][7] Despite the ongoing challenges, IndiGo officials maintained that the airline has sufficient aircraft and pilots and is prepared for the upcoming fog season.^[13] They expect operations to gradually stabilize in the coming days.^[13] The disruptions underscore the need for stronger foundations in India's rapidly growing aviation sector to ensure smooth and safe travel for passengers.^[8]

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