IndiGo crisis update: Airline apologises for nationwide flight disruptions, offers full waivers and automatic refunds

IndiGo issued an apology on X for widespread flight cancellations and delays, assuring passengers that all refunds will be processed automatically to their original mode of payment. The airline announced a full waiver on cancellations and rescheduling for travel between 5 and 15 December 2025, urging passengers to check flight status online and avoid visiting the airport if their flight is cancelled.

Central Railway has announced six special trains to assist passengers affected by widespread IndiGo flight cancellations. The trains will run on routes including Pune–SBC, Pune–New Delhi, LTT–Madgaon, CSMT–New Delhi, LTT–Lucknow, and Nagpur–CSMT, starting between 6 and 7 December 2025. Railway officials said the move aims to manage the sudden surge in passenger demand caused by the airline’s operational crisis.

SpiceJet Chairman and MD Ajay Singh said the airline will run 100 additional flights in the coming days to assist travellers affected by widespread cancellations and delays at IndiGo. Singh described the situation as “extremely disruptive,” adding, “What happened is extremely unfortunate, and it has caused a huge amount of inconvenience to passengers. We are attempting to help by running 100 additional flights over the next few days.” He also backed the government’s decision to set up a committee to investigate the root causes of the disruption, emphasising the importance of understanding what went wrong.

BJP MP and commercial pilot Rajiv Pratap Rudy has voiced alarm over widespread travel disruption caused by prolonged cancellations at a major airline, calling the situation “a matter of concern for everyone.” He said air services have been heavily affected over the last several days, causing major inconvenience to passengers. Noting that the government has already stepped in, Rudy expressed confidence that airline operations would soon be fully restored. The disturbances have triggered long queues, flight delays and confusion at airports nationwide.

Chandigarh Airport has issued guidance for passengers affected by IndiGo’s recent flight cancellations, urging them to use the airline’s website or mobile app to process refunds or reschedule flights. “This helps them avoid long airport queues and receive quicker support,” the advisory said. The airport added that while on-site assistance is available, digital options remain the fastest and most convenient.

Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru has updated its IndiGo flight status, reporting a total of 125 arrivals and 167 departures cancelled. The cancellations are significantly affecting flight operations, leaving many passengers needing to adjust their travel plans. The airport urged travelers to check the latest flight status before heading to the terminal.

SpiceJet chairman and managing director Ajay Singh described the recent IndiGo flight cancellations as “extremely unfortunate” and outlined the airline’s plan to operate 100 additional flights in the coming days to support affected passengers.

He emphasized the importance of understanding the causes of the disruptions and voiced support for the government’s decision to set up a committee to investigate the issue. Singh highlighted the need for coordinated efforts between airlines and authorities to restore normalcy and ensure passenger convenience.

In a video message, IndiGO CEO Pieter Elbers says, “We have faced severe operational disruptions over the past few days, with December 5th being the worst, resulting in more than a thousand cancellations, over half our daily flights. On behalf of Indigo, I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused. Though the situation has multiple causes, our focus is on how we respond.”

He added, “We have taken three key steps: strengthening customer communication and support through detailed updates and increased call center capacity; assisting stranded passengers at major airports and advising those with cancelled flights not to come to the airport; and conducting a full operational reset to realign crew and aircraft after earlier measures proved insufficient. With these actions, we expect cancellations to drop below 1,000 tomorrow. Support from the DGCA has been helpful, and with continued coordination, we expect daily improvements and a return to normal between December 10th and 15th.”

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has constituted a four-member committee to conduct a comprehensive review of the large-scale disruption in IndiGo’s scheduled flights. The panel will examine the circumstances that led to the operational breakdown and recommend corrective measures. Committee members include:

1. Sanjay K. Bramhane (Joint Director General),
2. Amit Gupta (Deputy Director General),
3. Capt. Kapil Manglik (Senior Flight Operations Inspector),
4. Capt. Lokesh Rampal (Flight Operations Inspector)

The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA) has strongly criticised the DGCA for granting what it terms “selective and unsafe” exemptions to IndiGo under the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms. In a letter dated December 5, ALPA alleged the move weakens fatigue-protection standards and risks passenger safety. The association also accused IndiGo of creating a pilot-shortage crisis and demanded an immediate rollback of the exemptions, along with a probe into the airline’s actions.

In view of ongoing IndiGo flight disruptions, the Northern Railways has announced the following measures to assist passengers:

• Augmentation of one 3A coach in 12425/26 Jat Raj.
• Augmentation of one 3A coach in 12424/23 DBRT Raj (link rake of Jat Raj).
• Augmentation of one CC coach in 12045/46 CDG Shatabdi.
• Augmentation of one CC coach in 12030/29 ASR Shatabdi

Further arrangements are currently under planning.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu announces, DGCA places FDTL orders in abeyance to ease IndiGo flight disruptions

Civil Aviation Minister Shri Ram Mohan Naidu announced urgent measures to address the ongoing IndiGo flight disruptions. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) orders have been kept in abeyance with immediate effect to ease passenger difficulties without compromising safety.

Additional operational directives have been issued to help airlines restore services quickly and minimise inconvenience. With these steps now in place, flight schedules are expected to stabilise by tomorrow, and full normalisation of operations is anticipated within the next three days, the minister said.

Chandigarh airport authorities have announced that all IndiGo flights operating from the facility have been cancelled till 10 pm on Friday due to the ongoing chaos.

IndiGo flights from Bengaluru airport to Mumbai and Delhi are cancelled until 23:59 hrs on December 5. "Passengers travelling to other destinations are advised to check the latest flight status with the airline before heading to the airport. Airport teams are working to minimise inconvenience," the airline said. Travelers are urged to stay updated on flight timings to avoid disruption during this period.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued two urgent directives to airlines, with a particular focus on IndiGo, to address the nationwide flight disruptions and restore normalcy at the earliest. More than 750 IndiGo flights were cancelled on Friday across major hubs, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, triggering travel chaos.

The ministry said the measures are aimed at stabilising operations “without delay,” and expressed confidence that schedules would begin normalising by midnight, with full services expected to be restored within the next couple of days.

Passengers have been advised to track flight updates remotely through upgraded information systems. IndiGo will provide automatic full refunds for cancelled flights and arrange hotel accommodation for stranded travellers, while senior citizens will be given lounge access to minimise discomfort. Refreshments and essential support will be provided during delays.

A 24×7 control room has been set up to monitor the situation in real time, with the government stating it remains “fully alert” to the difficulties faced by air passengers and is in constant coordination with airlines and stakeholders to ensure quick resolution.

Meanwhile, airfare on alternate carriers surged sharply due to limited seat availability, with Delhi–Chennai tickets on connecting flights touching ₹68,932 and Delhi–Mumbai non-stop fares exceeding ₹35,000 on Friday.

To help stabilise schedules, the DGCA has granted IndiGo a temporary exemption from certain crew rostering rules until February 10, 2026.

IndiGo on Friday issued a public apology as it confirmed the cancellation of all domestic departures from Delhi Airport on December 5, 2025, due to a “serious operational crisis.” The airline said, “We are truly sorry and we will take care… We will do everything in our capacity to help you in the meantime and to bring our operations back to normal at the earliest.”

IndiGo assured automatic refunds, waiver on rescheduling for travel from December 5–15, and support including hotel stays, food, and lounge access for senior citizens. The DGCA said over 500 flights were impacted and appealed to pilots for cooperation to avoid further disruptions during the busy winter travel season.

India’s aviation regulator DGCA has appealed to pilot associations to ensure smooth operations amid massive IndiGo disruptions, with more than 500 flights delayed or cancelled on Friday. The regulator warned of further strain as fog season and holiday travel peak. It also withdrew an instruction preventing substitution of leave for weekly rest to help airlines manage schedules. IndiGo has sought temporary exemptions from FDTL rules as delays and cancellations mount nationwide.

Passenger expresses frustration over repeated cancellations A passenger said, “They have been cancelling my flight for three days. My flight was scheduled for yesterday at 4:15 pm, then it was rescheduled to 10:30 am today, and now it has been cancelled again. They are saying they will refund the amount, but I had booked my ticket two months in advance. They should have arranged an alternative instead of just refunding the money. I was travelling from Jammu to Delhi and then to Pune, and all my tickets have been cancelled.”

IndiGo flight cancellations at Goa airport At least 30 IndiGo flights were cancelled at Goa airport on Friday morning, leading to heavy crowds and widespread passenger frustration. The Dabolim airport, managed by the AAI, said in a post on X that flights to several cities - including Bengaluru, Surat, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Delhi, Indore, Mumbai and Bhopal - had been cancelled since Friday.

The shares of InterGlobe Aviation, the parent company of IndiGo, erased all intraday losses to trade in the green after falling more than 3 percent earlier during the day. This comes after aviation watchdog DGCA eased some norms related to pilot's rest, which was seen as one of the key reasons behind the airline's massive cancellations. (Read More)

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday appealed to the Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) and Pilots for Cooperation amid ongoing IndiGo travel disruptions across the nation. In a statement, DGCA wrote, "In light of the current disruptions due M/s Indigo affecting air travel, where several flights across the country have been impacted due to operational constraints, unpredictable weather patterns, and rising seasonal demand, the aviation sector is experiencing significant strain. These disruptions have led to delays, passenger inconvenience, and increased pressure on airline operations." This comes after continuous airline operational disruptions nationwide, with over 500 IndiGo flights delayed or cancelled on Friday, according to the latest report, causing severe inconvenience to travellers. The DGCA said that the industry must prepare for even greater operational challenges, as passenger volumes are expected to rise sharply.

• Please check your flight status on our website or through notifications, and avoid coming to the airport if your flight is cancelled.

• We apologise for long wait times and have significantly expanded our contact centre capacity to reduce delays.

• Our AI assistant, 6Eskai, can help with flight status, refunds and rebooking: goIndiGo.in/6Eskai, says Indigo

• Refunds for cancelled flights will be processed automatically to the original mode of payment.

• A full waiver is being offered on cancellations or rescheduling for travel between 5 December 2025 and 15 December 2025.

• Thousands of hotel rooms and surface transport have been arranged for customer convenience.

• Food and snacks are being provided to waiting passengers at airports.

• Lounge access is being arranged for senior citizens wherever possible.

Today is expected to see the highest number of cancellations as we work to reboot systems and schedules for gradual improvement from tomorrow. Our teams are coordinating with the Ministry and DGCA to reinstate regular operations. Short-term proactive cancellations are being implemented to ease congestion and prepare for a stronger restart, says Indigo

Although IndiGo is known for reliability, the past few days have brought a serious operational crisis. Many journeys were cancelled, and several passengers experienced long waits at airports with limited information, says Indigo

We sincerely apologise and understand how difficult the past few days have been for many of you. While the situation may not be resolved overnight, we assure you that we are doing everything possible to support you and restore normal operations at the earliest, says Indigo

Meeting between aviation minister and Indigo officials took place earlier today; minister expressed his discontent about the situation: Sources

Our Website and Mobile App are currently experiencing intermittent issues and some of our online services on our website, including booking, check-in and manage booking services may be temporarily affected. Passengers with immediate travel plans can reach the airport early to check-in at our counters or contact our 24x7 Akasa Care Centre on +91 9606 112131 and our team will be happy to assist you. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused and want to assure you that our teams are working with our service provider to resolve the same at the earliest.

Passengers complained of going 12+ hours without access to luggage, food or water, sparking frustration nationwide. Following the chaos, IndiGo issued a "heartfelt" apology on X, assuring customers that teams were working with aviation authorities to restore normal operations. The airline advised passengers to check their flight status at the link provided before heading to the airport. (Read More)

A passenger travelling to Bhubaneswar was left disappointed after discovering at Patna airport that his IndiGo flight had been cancelled. Now concerned about whether his ₹10,000 ticket refund will be processed, he told ANI that while airline staff assured him the refund would be issued within a week, several other passengers said they had already been waiting longer. “We have a lot of doubts about it…” he added.

DGCA withdraws rule that barred airlines from substituting weekly rest with leave

Amid IndiGo’s mass cancellations, passengers say they are being forced to pay sharply higher fares to rebook on other airlines. Tarang Rathod, whose IndiGo flight from Ahmedabad to Delhi was cancelled, told ANI he reached the airport at 7:30 am for a 9:45 am departure with 'no prior confirmation of cancellation,' and is now on a one-stop rerouted journey with nearly 12 hours’ delay, paying Rs 24,000–30,000 per adult, about three times the usual fare. On social media, users complained that other carriers have hiked prices on affected routes, with one saying they saw the “same route flight in 2 days with 3X price increase,” while another called the sudden fare surge 'deeply unfair' and 'opportunistic pricing' that erodes trust in the aviation sector.

IndiGo flight cancellations live: A total of 86 IndiGo flights were cancelled at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Friday, as the airline continued to battle network-wide disruptions. The cancellations, planned between 12:00 am and 4:00 pm, hit several key domestic routes, and airport officials warned that more IndiGo flights could be scrapped through the rest of the day.

IndiGo’s on-time performance (OTP) collapsed to 8.5 percent on Thursday, as escalating operational disruptions and crew woes severely hit its flight schedules. The country’s largest airline, which usually operates around 2,300 flights a day across domestic and international routes, has begun cancelling services to contain the chaos. Civil aviation ministry data shows IndiGo’s OTP slid from 35 percent on Tuesday to 19.7 percent on Wednesday, before crashing to single digits on Thursday, a stark contrast to the airline’s long-touted punctuality record. By comparison, Air India, Air India Express and Akasa Air posted OTPs of 61 percent, 58.6 percent and 63 percent, respectively, while SpiceJet and Alliance Air were at 56.4 percent and 56 percent. OTP is tracked across six major hubs, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. IndiGo’s stock also came under pressure, falling nearly 3 percent to Rs 5,291.45 in Friday afternoon trade on the BSE.

IndiGo, India’s largest airline, is set to cancel over 100 flights from Bengaluru on Friday, after major disruptions at Delhi and Mumbai airports, Reuters reported. The nationwide wave of cancellations and delays has also hit Hyderabad and Chennai, with Chennai airport reporting about 20 departures and nearly a dozen arrivals cancelled by Friday noon. All IndiGo departures from Delhi have been halted until midnight, while Mumbai has logged more than 100 cancellations, deepening the travel chaos. At Dabolim Airport, the AAI confirmed that 30 IndiGo flights to cities including Bengaluru, Surat, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Delhi, Indore, Mumbai and Bhopal have been cancelled since Friday morning.

The ongoing flight disruptions at IndiGo have knocked off about Rs 25,000 crore in market capitalisation from its parent InterGlobe Aviation Ltd over the last six trading sessions, stock exchange data shows. The stock has fallen for six straight days, sliding 10.6 percent in that period. At around 12.14 pm, InterGlobe was trading at Rs 5,276.5 on the NSE, down 2.9 percent from the previous close. Beyond stranded passengers, the slide is also hurting more than 2.9 lakh retail shareholders in the company.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday alleged that the IndiGo "fiasco" is a direct consequence of the government's "monopoly model," arguing that India needs fair competition rather than "match-fixing monopolies."

With IndiGo cancelling over 550 flights on Thursday and another 400 on Friday, severely disrupting travel plans for hundreds of passengers, Gandhi said it is ordinary Indians who suffer through delays, cancellations and helplessness.

"IndiGo fiasco is the cost of this Govt's monopoly model. Once again, it's ordinary Indians who pay the price - in delays, cancellations and helplessness," he said in a post on X, adding that India deserves healthier competition across all sectors.

Uddhav Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi reportedly called for shutting down the Civil Aviation Ministry amid ongoing flight disruptions. She said she had submitted a calling attention notice and expected the civil aviation minister to provide information in Parliament, but that did not happen. Chaturvedi noted that although the minister held a late-night meeting and issued directives, flight cancellations continued. "If you are not responsible for rising airfares and passenger grievances, then shut down the Civil Aviation Ministry," she said.

High Commissioner Simon Wong said he was among the “tens of thousands of passengers stranded by IndiGo” after his flight to Deoghar was cancelled. “My sincere apologies to my young staff waiting for me to attend his shaadi. Lost for words,” he wrote.

IndiGo has faced widespread flight cancellations and delays over the past few days, affecting thousands of passengers. The disruptions are primarily due to crew shortages following the implementation of the new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms. The second and final phase of the crew rest and duty rules, introduced last month, caught the airline ill-prepared, leading to operational chaos. Only 19.7 per cent of its flights operated on time on Wednesday (December 3), down from 35 per cent on Tuesday and around 50 per cent on Monday. The situation has created havoc at airports nationwide, with passengers voicing frustration on social media and many forced to book costly flights with other carriers.

The near-term turbulence notwithstanding, IndiGo’s long-term outlook is strong (Read More)

Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu reviewed IndiGo's mass flight cancellations and directed the airline to urgently stabilise operations while keeping airfares in check. He expressed strong displeasure, noting that the airline had ample time to prepare for the new FDTL norms but failed to ensure a smooth transition.

In a statement, IndiGo said its network had been "significantly disrupted" over the past two days and apologised to customers. The airline informed the DGCA that it will reduce flights from December 8 and expects stable operations to be fully restored only by February 10, 2026. It admitted that misjudgments and planning gaps in implementing the second phase of FDTL norms caused the disruptions.

Sources told PTI that over 220 flights, including arrivals and departures, were cancelled at Delhi airport. More than 100 flights were cancelled at Bangalore airport, while over 90 flights were affected at Hyderabad airport.

IndiGo has announced that all departing domestic flights from Delhi airport have been cancelled until midnight, intensifying travel disruptions as the airline struggles with operational issues, PTI reported. Hundreds of passengers faced long delays at airports due to cancellations and postponements.