IndiGo restores 95% of network connectivity, plans to operate 1,500 flights today after major disruptions

The airline said the scaled-down schedule was necessary to reset rosters, systems, and overall network planning to stabilise operations

IndiGo said on Saturday that it has begun restoring its flight operations after days of severe disruptions, with the airline projecting it will operate more than 1,500 flights by the end of the day. This marks a sharp recovery from Friday, when the carrier ran just over 700 flights as part of a deliberate network “reboot.”

The airline said the scaled-down schedule was necessary to reset rosters, systems, and overall network planning to stabilise operations. “The main objective was to reboot the network, systems, and rosters so that we could start afresh today with higher number of flights, improved stability, and there are some early signs of improvement,” an IndiGo spokesperson said.

IndiGo also said that over 95% of its network connectivity has now been restored. The airline is operating to 135 of its 138 destinations, with the remaining routes expected to return gradually.

While acknowledging that full normalcy will take time, IndiGo said it is working to rebuild customer trust after the disruptions, which have affected thousands of travellers across the country. “We would like to thank all our partners and government agencies for their constant support and guidance. Most of all, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our customers and staff for their patience and cooperation through these tough times. We apologise once again,” the spokesperson added.

Domestic carrier IndiGo cancelled more than 800 flights on Saturday, the fifth consecutive day of widespread disruptions, prompting the civil aviation ministry to impose airfare caps and direct the airline to complete all passenger refunds by Sunday evening.

IndiGo’s on-time performance at six major metro airports plunged to 3.7% on Friday, according to the ministry’s website. The government warned that “regulatory action will be initiated” if the airline fails to comply with refund timelines or other directives.

With thousands of passengers affected nationwide, the ministry ordered IndiGo to complete refunds for all cancelled or disrupted flights by 8 pm on Sunday. “Airlines have also been instructed not to levy any rescheduling charges for passengers whose travel plans were affected by cancellations,” the ministry said.

IndiGo has been told to set up dedicated passenger support and refund facilitation cells. These teams will “proactively contact affected passengers and ensure that refunds and alternative travel arrangements are processed without the need for multiple follow-ups.”

Automatic refunds will remain active until operations stabilise.

The airline said cancellations on Saturday dropped below 850 flights — a slight improvement from over 1,000 flights cancelled on Friday. “We are continuing to work towards reducing this number progressively over the next few days,” IndiGo said, adding that teams were focused on stabilising schedules, reducing delays and issuing timely updates through airports, its website and direct notifications.

In an unprecedented move, the ministry capped fares on domestic sectors after seeing “capacity constraints and unreasonable surge” in ticket prices.

The fare caps (excluding UDF, PSF and taxes) are:

Up to 500 km: Rs 7,500

500–1,000 km: Rs 12,000

1,000–1,500 km: Rs 15,000

Above 1,500 km: Rs 18,000

This means a Delhi–Mumbai ticket (approx. 1,300 km) is capped at Rs 18,000. The order applies to all bookings — airline websites and online travel agents. Business class and UDAN flights are exempt.

The ministry will monitor fares in real time and warned: “Any deviation from the prescribed norms will attract immediate corrective action.”

Before the cap took effect, some routes were quoting exorbitant fares. A one-stop SpiceJet Kolkata–Mumbai ticket for December 6 was priced as high as ₹90,000, while an Air India Mumbai–Bhubaneswar ticket was seen at Rs 84,485.

Industry bodies welcomed the move. IATO President Ravi Gosain said unpredictable spikes “damage consumer confidence,” while FAITH board member Anil Kalsi called the cap “essential to protect flyer rights.”

IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers broke his silence on Friday, apologising for the inconvenience and saying the airline expected fewer than 1,000 cancellations on Saturday.

The DGCA has temporarily relaxed certain pilot duty norms to help IndiGo manage crew shortages, including rolling back the night-duty definition to 12 am–5 am and allowing six night landings instead of two.

The Airlines’ Pilots Association (ALPA) India strongly criticised the DGCA’s decision, calling the relaxations “selective and unsafe.”

“This has not just destroyed regulatory parity but also placed millions of passengers at heightened risk,” ALPA India said, urging authorities to uphold court-mandated fatigue norms.

IndiGo was the first to oppose the new FDTL norms introduced in 2024, which require longer rest periods and limit night landings.