IndiGo Cancels Over 150 Flights on Sixth Day of Operational Crisis

IndiGo continues to face severe operational disruptions for the sixth consecutive day, leading to the cancellation of over 150 flights on Sunday.

Hyderabad airport alone reported 115 cancellations, followed by 38 in Chennaiand 11 in Amritsar. Since Tuesday, the airline has cancelled more than 2,000 flights and delayed several others, leaving thousands of passengers stranded across the country.

In response to the crisis, IndiGo has formed a Crisis Management Group (CMG) to monitor the situation and said it is “doing everything possible” to address the challenges. The airline, which operated 1,500 flights on Saturday, claimed that over 95 per cent of its network connectivity has now been restored and reiterated its apology to passengers.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a show cause notice to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers, citing “significant lapses in planning, oversight, and resource management” amid the disruptions. The notice gives the CEO 24 hours to respond before enforcement action is considered, marking this as one of India’s worst aviation crises in years.

Meanwhile, the civil aviation ministry has directed IndiGo to issue all pending refunds for affected passengers by 8 pm on Sunday and ensure that any baggage separated from travellers is returned within the next two days.

The ministry has also invoked its regulatory powers to impose fare caps on domestic flights, after ticket prices surged on several routes as stranded passengers sought alternatives. These caps will remain in effect until normal operations resume.

The operational disruptions have been linked to the transition to the second phase of the new flight duty and rest period norms for pilots. However, IndiGo recently secured temporary relief from the DGCA, allowing pilots to perform six landings in a single night, easing some of the pressure on its schedule.

Also Read: IndiGo Flight Cancellations Drop Sharply as DGCA Issues Show-Cause Notice to CEO