Why are IndiGo flights grounded?

For the past week, IndiGo has seen mass cancellations, dropping over 1000 flights in just four days from December 3 to 6. This has left thousands of passengers stranded at airports including Srinagar, Jammu, Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, sending ticket prices on other airlines skyrocketing.

What is the reason?

Aviation experts are calling this a “perfect storm” because three separate issues collided at the same time.

1. The New Pilot Rest Rules (FDTL)

It is the primary trigger. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) implemented new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL). Simply put, to prevent pilot fatigue and ensure safety, pilots must now rest more (48 hours of weekly rest instead of 36) and fly fewer night shifts.

The Problem is that this means IndiGo suddenly needed more pilots to fly the same number of planes. The airline did not have enough backup crew ready when these rules kicked in fully.

2. The Winter Fog

December brings dense fog to North India. Usually, if a flight is delayed by fog, the same pilot flies it a few hours later. But under the strict new rules, a 3-hour fog delay often means the pilot’s “duty time” expires while they are waiting. They have to go home to rest, leaving the plane without a pilot.

3. The Engine Crisis

IndiGo was already flying with one hand tied behind its back. Approximately 75 of its aircraft are currently grounded long-term due to global technical faults in their Pratt & Whitney engines. This meant when active planes got stuck due to pilot shortages, there were no spare planes to swap in.

What is the scale of the crisis?

1000: The number of flights cancelled between December 3 and December 6

500: The number of flights grounded on a single day (Friday, Dec 5ember), which is nearly 25 percent of their daily schedule

1.5 lakh: The estimated number of passengers affected by these cancellations

8.5%: IndiGo’s “On-Time Performance” on Thursday, a historic low for the airline known for punctuality

75: The approximate number of aircraft sitting idle due to engine issues

What is the government doing?

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has stepped in. Recognising that the sudden shift in rules caused the collapse, the DGCA has granted IndiGo a temporary exemption. They are allowed to revert to some older night-duty norms until February 2026. This “breathing room” is expected to help them stabilise rosters.

What does this mean for passengers?

Timeline for Fix: IndiGo’s CEO has said they are “rebooting” their network. While the worst may be over, operations are only expected to stabilise between December 10 and 15.

Ticket Prices

With IndiGo cancelling flights, demand has shifted to other airlines like Air India and Akasa, causing last-minute fares to jump by 300 percent to 400 percent on busy routes.

Advisory

If you are travelling in the next week, check your flight status before leaving for the airport. Do not rely on SMS notifications.

Full Refund

As per DGCA norms, if your flight was cancelled, you are entitled to a full refund or an alternate flight at no extra cost.