Friday, 05 December, 2025
London, UK
Friday, December 5, 2025 1:39 PM
few clouds 8.7°C
Condition: Few clouds
Humidity: 82%
Wind Speed: 14.8 km/h

Chaos erupts at Indian airports as country’s largest airline cancels flights

NEW DELHI (AP) — Chaos gripped major Indian airports Friday as passengers of the country’s biggest airline, IndiGo, scrambled to cope up with widespread flight disruptions and cancellations triggered by newly enforced rules limiting working hours for crew and pilots.

Scenes of frustration played out as passengers slept on airport floors, queued for hours at customer service counters and waited without clear communication from the airline.

Friday was the fourth straight day of disruptions as the low cost carrier struggles with new regulations that mandate longer rest periods and limit night flying hours to address concerns about fatigue and safety.

Three Indigo Airlines planes are seen through a glass window at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi as several flights operated by the carrier were either cancelled or delayed, India, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Three Indigo Airlines planes are seen through a glass window at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi as several flights operated by the carrier were either cancelled or delayed, India, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Three Indigo Airlines planes are seen through a glass window at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi as several flights operated by the carrier were either cancelled or delayed, India, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

The first phase of the rules came into effect in July while the second phase kicked in November. IndiGo struggled to adapt its rosters in time, resulting in widespread cancellations and disruptions.

On Thursday, more than 300 IndiGo flights were grounded while several hundreds delayed. A passenger advisory from the Delhi airport Friday stated that all domestic IndiGo flights will remain cancelled until midnight. Other major airlines, including Air India, have not faced similar issues so far.

3 MIN READ

2 MIN READ

3 MIN READ

IndiGo operates around 2,300 flights daily and controls nearly 65% of India’s domestic aviation market.

Senior citizen Sajal Bose was scheduled to travel with his wife Senjuti Bose early Friday from Kolkata to New Delhi to attend a friend’s silver jubilee celebration. His flight was cancelled an hour before the scheduled take off.

Bose told The Associated Press he was now taking a nine-hour train ride to the city Bagdogra, where he plans to get a flight to New Delhi on another airline. “Its very irresponsible and complete negligence. Very difficult for older people like us,” he said.

In an internal email to employees this week, seen by The Associated Press, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers apologized, and cited technology glitches, schedule changes, adverse weather conditions, heightened congestion and the implementation of the new rules as the reasons for flight disruptions.

The Civil Aviation Ministry said in a statement that the disruptions arose primarily through misjudgment and planning gaps as the airline implemented phase two of the new rules, and that the airline acknowledged that the effect on crew strength exceeded their expectations.

Two Indigo Airlines planes are seen through a glass window at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi as several flights operated by the carrier were either cancelled or delayed, India, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Two Indigo Airlines planes are seen through a glass window at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi as several flights operated by the carrier were either cancelled or delayed, India, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Two Indigo Airlines planes are seen through a glass window at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi as several flights operated by the carrier were either cancelled or delayed, India, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

An airport official walks near a runway at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi as several Indigo Airlines flights were cancelled or delayed, India, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

An airport official walks near a runway at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi as several Indigo Airlines flights were cancelled or delayed, India, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

An airport official walks near a runway at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi as several Indigo Airlines flights were cancelled or delayed, India, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

IndiGo has sought temporary exemptions in implementing the new rules and told the government that corrective measures were underway. It has indicated the operations will be fully restored by Feb. 10.

More cancellations are expected in the next couple of weeks, and the airline said it would reduce its flight operations from Dec. 8 to minimize disruptions.

___

Associated Press videojournalist Piyush Nagpal in New Delhi contributed to this report.

LP Staff Writers

Writers at Lord’s Press come from a range of professional backgrounds, including history, diplomacy, heraldry, and public administration. Many publish anonymously or under initials—a practice that reflects the publication’s long-standing emphasis on discretion and editorial objectivity. While they bring expertise in European nobility, protocol, and archival research, their role is not to opine, but to document. Their focus remains on accuracy, historical integrity, and the preservation of events and individuals whose significance might otherwise go unrecorded.

Categories

Follow

    Newsletter

    Subscribe to receive your complimentary login credentials and unlock full access to all features and stories from Lord’s Press.

    As a journal of record, Lord’s Press remains freely accessible—thanks to the enduring support of our distinguished partners and patrons. Subscribing ensures uninterrupted access to our archives, special reports, and exclusive notices.

    LP is free thanks to our Sponsors

    Privacy Overview

    Privacy & Cookie Notice

    This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and to help us understand how our content is accessed and used. Cookies are small text files stored in your browser that allow us to recognise your device upon return, retain your preferences, and gather anonymised usage statistics to improve site performance.

    Under EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we process this data based on your consent. You will be prompted to accept or customise your cookie preferences when you first visit our site.

    You may adjust or withdraw your consent at any time via the cookie settings link in the website footer. For more information on how we handle your data, please refer to our full Privacy Policy