IndiGo, which carries nearly two out of every three domestic flyers, is experiencing major flight delays and several cancellations due to a severe crew shortage. Government data from Tuesday (Dec 2) shows that only 35% of IndiGo’s more than 2,200 daily flights operated on time. By Wednesday afternoon, airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru had already reported close to 200 flight cancellations.
IndiGo Hit by Massive Delays Amid Crew Shortage
The airline has been grappling with an acute pilot shortage ever since the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms, aimed at providing more humane work schedules, came into effect last month. Airport officials said the widespread IndiGo delays and cancellations on Wednesday led to significant operational disruptions. “For some flights there was no cabin crew available so they had to be cancelled. The airline is sending crew to different bases to operate flights but the shortage is such that things are out of hand. Who could have -ever imagined IndiGo – whose USP is OTP – will drop to 35%, even below Alliance Air and SpiceJet. Flights are getting delayed by anywhere upto 7-8 hours,” airport officials said.
IndiGo, in its statement, said, “We have had several unavoidable flight delays and some cancellations in the past few days due to various reasons including technology issues, airport congestion, and operational requirements.
Airline Advises Passengers to Check Flight Status Before Travel
“Our teams are working tirelessly to restore normal operations at the earliest. We are providing alternative flight options or refunds to affected passengers wherever applicable. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to our valued customers,” an IndiGo spokesperson said. The airline also urged passengers to “check the latest flight status on https://www.goindigo.in/check-flight-status.html before leaving for the airport to avoid any further inconvenience.”
This disruption comes during the peak travel season, when India handles nearly 5 lakh domestic flyers every day. With IndiGo holding over 60% of the domestic market share, delays affecting 65% of its flights in a single day naturally have a massive impact. The ripple effect of such widespread delays typically continues for several hours, if not longer.
Low Visibility and Operational Issues Disrupt Hyderabad Flight Operations
On Tuesday, several flights were delayed, diverted, or cancelled due to a combination of operational challenges and poor visibility. Airport authorities advised passengers to follow real-time updates from their airlines as disruptions continued into Wednesday.
According to airport officials, two inbound flights scheduled to land in Hyderabad were diverted on Tuesday because of low visibility. Flight XY325 from Riyadh was diverted to Mumbai, while flight 6E 352 from Pune was rerouted to Bengaluru. Officials added that additional diversions remained possible depending on changing weather conditions.
Several departures from Hyderabad also experienced delays attributed to operational issues reported by airlines. The affected flights included 6E 409 (HYD–VTZ), 6E 785 (HYD–BOM), 6E 944 (HYD–CCU), 6E 2256 (HYD–DEL), and 6E 5003 (HYD–BOM). Passengers were seen gathering at airline counters seeking updates and assistance as delays stretched late into the night.
