IndiGo signals turnaround with 1,800 flights and 91% OTP after week-long disruptions

Multiple IndiGo flights are grounded at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru

Crisis-hit airline IndiGo on Monday said it has achieved “considerable and consistent improvement” in its operations after a week of widespread disruptions, announcing that it is set to operate more than 1,800 flights across its network, a sharp rise from the roughly 1,650 flights operated on Sunday.

IndiGo also said that its on-time performance rose to 91% on Monday, a sharp improvement from around 75% recorded the previous day.

The airline said its network coverage has now been fully restored, and all cancellations for Tuesday were executed a day in advance to ensure that customers received timely notifications. IndiGo added that it has “optimised operations” to reduce last-minute disruptions.

IndiGo said it remains focused on addressing customer concerns “on a war footing” and has expedited internal processes to deal with refund and assistance requests. According to the airline, Rs 827 crore has already been refunded for cancellations up to December 15, while the remaining amount is under processing.

Between December 1 and 7, the airline facilitated stranded passengers by arranging over 9,500 hotel rooms and close to 10,000 cabs and buses. It has also delivered more than 4,500 delayed bags to customers and expects to deliver the remaining baggage within the next 36 hours.

The airline added that it is assisting over two lakh customers every day across various communication channels as it works to restore full normalcy following the disruptions.

IndiGo cancelled 562 flights across six metro airports on Monday, with 150 cancellations originating from Bengaluru alone, as the airline continued to grapple with its operational crisis. PTI reported that the carrier has already cancelled 560 of its 2,300 daily flights from major metro airports for the day.

Amid mounting disruptions, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu told Parliament that the Centre has ordered a probe into the large-scale cancellations. He said the crisis was entirely the result of IndiGo’s rostering failures.

“This was an operational issue created by IndiGo… we were continuously in touch… on November 1, too, the ministry had a meeting… IndiGo sought some clarification and it was given… they failed to maintain their roster,” Naidu said in the Rajya Sabha, outlining the chain of events.

The minister added the inquiry would serve as “an example not just for them but for all in the aviation sector.”