India’s civil aviation network, one of the fastest-growing in the world, is facing one of its worst operational meltdowns in recent years as IndiGo—by far the country’s largest airline—continues to grapple with a cascading crisis that has left passengers stranded, airports overwhelmed, and schedules in disarray. Since Tuesday, more than 1,000 IndiGo flights have been cancelled across major hubs including Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, and several tier-II cities. The disruption has stretched into its fourth consecutive day, upending travel plans for thousands and putting unprecedented pressure on India’s busiest airports.

The scale and speed of the collapse have shocked passengers, many of whom arrived at airports expecting routine journeys only to find themselves stuck in serpentine queues stretching across terminals, often with little to no communication from the airline. Long, stagnant lines outside check-in counters, chaotic scenes at boarding gates, and passengers sprawled across floors are now distressingly common at airports nationwide. For an airline that built its reputation around punctuality and operational reliability, the sudden descent into disorder is jarring.

At Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, passengers waited hours at counters after more than 400 IndiGo flights were cancelled over the week. Similar scenes unfolded in Delhi, where authorities halted all IndiGo departures until midnight on Friday, stopping operations until 23:59 as staff struggled to cope with the avalanche of cancellations. Chennai Airport, too, suspended all IndiGo departures until 6 pm, mirroring the crisis gripping the capital. Bengaluru saw more than 100 cancellations—52 incoming and 50 outgoing—while Hyderabad reported at least 92 cancellations through the day, leaving the terminal packed with weary and increasingly frustrated travellers. Raipur, Goa, Ahmedabad, and Pune also reported mounting distress among stranded passengers.

The situation has had immediate financial repercussions. IndiGo’s on-time performance plunged to an unprecedented 8.5 percent on Thursday—an almost unimaginable figure for a carrier that has long marketed punctuality as its core brand identity. The market reacted swiftly. IndiGo’s shares tumbled over 3 percent during afternoon trading, falling to ₹5,417.90 on the BSE.

But the numbers do not capture the emotional and physical strain faced by passengers, many of whom have endured hours—sometimes entire nights—of uncertainty. At Hyderabad airport, a passenger told ANI that staff repeatedly assured them the delay would last “just two more hours,” a refrain that continued for more than 12 hours. “No hotel, no food, nothing,” they said, describing the experience as both exhausting and distressing.

In Bengaluru, one traveller recounted spending the entire night inside the terminal, only to be told at dawn that the flight had been cancelled. In Goa, passengers said IndiGo offered them seats on flights the next day but could not confirm whether those flights would operate. At Ahmedabad, chaos reigned as passengers remained stranded for 10 to 12 hours, with reports that neither water nor food had been provided during the prolonged ordeal.

The lack of timely communication has compounded passenger anger. Many travellers arrived at airports unaware that their flights had been cancelled hours earlier. Several discovered the cancellations only after standing in queues for long periods. Meanwhile, ticket prices on competing airlines surged sharply, making immediate rebooking unaffordable or impossible for many.

The underlying reasons for the crisis, according to IndiGo, include a mix of unforeseen operational challenges—technology glitches, winter congestion, and weather-related delays. But these explanations have not fully convinced aviation analysts or regulatory officials. Industry experts point to a single, dominant cause: the rollout of India’s revamped Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) framework, a set of rules implemented recently to curb pilot fatigue and enhance flight safety.

The revised FDTL norms mandate several changes that significantly impact crew availability. Weekly rest periods for pilots have been increased from 36 hours to 48 hours. The night duty window, once narrower, has now been extended to run from midnight to 06:00 hours. Pilots are now allowed only two night landings per week, and the maximum permissible flying hours during nighttime operations have been capped at eight. Though these rules aim to ensure adequate rest and minimize fatigue-related safety risks, they have dramatically altered crew rosters across airlines.

For IndiGo, the timing proved especially challenging. The airline expanded its winter schedule on October 26, increasing flight frequencies at a time when crew availability was simultaneously shrinking due to the new mandatory rest requirements. This combination stretched the airline’s roster to its limit.

The pressure on operations intensified further when an Airbus A320 software advisory over the weekend forced delays in several aircraft. These delays extended well past midnight, pushing flight duties beyond the limits permitted under the new FDTL rules. When pilots timed out, entire flight rotations had to be cancelled, triggering a domino effect that rippled across the network. As each cancelled flight displaced crew schedules, the disruptions multiplied, resulting in the wave of cancellations seen this week.

In an effort to regain control, IndiGo has reportedly sought temporary exemptions from certain FDTL provisions for its A320 fleet, a request currently under review by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. The airline has assured authorities that corrective measures are in progress and that it expects operations to stabilize by February 2026. In the meantime, passengers are bearing the brunt of the turbulence.

The crisis has raised serious questions about communication protocols, contingency planning, and how airlines should handle sudden disruptions in crew availability. Passenger advocacy groups have highlighted the urgent need for clear guidelines to ensure travelers receive timely information and basic support, including meals and accommodation, during prolonged delays. Critics argue that the sheer scale of the current crisis suggests deeper structural challenges in crew planning and operational readiness.

As the meltdown continues, India’s airports remain packed with stranded passengers waiting for clarity. While some have managed to rebook on other carriers at steep prices, many have little option but to wait inside crowded terminals, hoping their flights will eventually operate. Airport authorities have increased staff deployment to manage crowds, but the pressure shows little sign of easing as long as IndiGo’s disruptions continue.

The episode serves as a stark reminder of how fragile the aviation ecosystem can be when hit by the perfect storm of regulatory change, staffing constraints, and operational delays. For now, the nation’s largest airline faces the formidable task of restoring stability while rebuilding the trust of millions of passengers who relied on its reputation for reliability and punctuality.