India’s aviation sector continued to face significant turbulence on Saturday as IndiGo, the country’s largest airline, remained mired in a deepening operational crisis. Despite slight improvements compared to earlier in the week, the disruptions were still severe, with more than 440 flights cancelled across major metropolitan hubs such as Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. Thousands of passengers were left stranded or facing significant delays at airports throughout the country, highlighting the seriousness of the airline’s staffing and scheduling breakdown.

The situation has been deteriorating since Tuesday, when the crisis first escalated into public view. According to data available up to Saturday, IndiGo has cancelled approximately 1,600 flights in just five days. This dramatic scale of disruption is unprecedented for an airline that controls nearly 60 percent of India’s domestic passenger market. While operational challenges were evident during November—when the airline was cancelling an average of more than 25 flights per day—the latest developments mark a sudden and drastic worsening of the situation.

At the heart of the crisis lies IndiGo’s struggle to comply with newly implemented duty-time regulations for crew members. These updated norms, intended to ensure better rest periods and safer work conditions for pilots and cabin staff, have triggered widespread scheduling conflicts and staffing shortages. Unable to realign rosters quickly enough, the airline has had to ground hundreds of flights daily, leading to a cascading operational breakdown that has overwhelmed airport systems and left passengers in prolonged uncertainty.

The impact has been particularly visible at major international gateways such as Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. Both facilities reported some of the highest numbers of cancellations and delays on Saturday. Long queues, confusion, limited communication from ground staff, and widespread frustration dominated the scene. Several passengers reported waiting hours for updates, while others took to social media to express anger and seek clarity. On Friday, when cancellations peaked at around 1,000 flights in a single day, scenes of unrest were reported from multiple airports. Videos circulating online showed groups of passengers shouting slogans at IndiGo counters, demanding assistance, accommodation, or alternative travel arrangements.

Even on Saturday, as the airline attempted to stabilize operations, the cancellation numbers remained alarmingly high. Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport was among the worst affected, with 63 departures and 61 arrivals cancelled—124 flights in total. Delhi and Mumbai each reported 86 cancellations, maintaining the strain on the country’s busiest air corridors. Hyderabad experienced 66 cancellations, while Ahmedabad saw 59 planned cancellations between 0001 and 2359 hours.

These figures underline the widespread geographic distribution of the crisis. What began as a roster alignment problem for a few airports quickly escalated into a national-level disruption as IndiGo’s tightly scheduled network struggled to compensate for missing crew members. The airline’s heavy reliance on quick turnarounds and high-frequency operations—normally an industry advantage—has instead amplified the ripple effect across the system. Once a few critical crew shortages occur, large portions of the network can quickly become inoperative due to interconnected route dependencies.

Passenger frustration has been particularly acute due to limited information-sharing from the airline. Many travellers reported that cancellations were communicated at the last minute, often only upon reaching the airport. This lack of proactive updates has resulted in overcrowded terminals, pressure on help desks, and insufficient arrangements for affected passengers. With thousands stranded or scrambling for alternative travel options, the crisis has also put pressure on India’s broader transportation network, including other airlines and long-distance trains.

IndiGo has stated that it is working urgently to restore normalcy and adjust to the new duty-time norms, but recovery is expected to be slow. Airlines depend on complex planning cycles, and sudden large-scale roster revisions cannot be implemented overnight. Furthermore, December marks one of the busiest travel months in India due to holidays, weddings, and year-end business travel. This seasonal demand spike, combined with reduced operational capacity, has left little room for the airline to maneuver.

Aviation experts note that this crisis highlights structural vulnerabilities within India’s rapidly growing aviation market. With high demand, tight schedules, and increasingly stretched crew resources, airlines operate with minimal buffer capacity. Any regulatory change, labour unrest, or unexpected shortage can trigger widespread disruptions. The current situation involving IndiGo may also prompt regulatory bodies to examine whether airlines have adequate manpower and operational planning to adapt to evolving safety and labour standards.

The chaos has also sparked discussions on customer rights and compensation mechanisms during large-scale operational failures. While India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has set rules for reimbursements, rebooking, and passenger assistance, enforcement remains inconsistent. Many travellers reported receiving no clear guidance on refunds, alternative flights, or accommodation. As the nation’s most heavily used airline, IndiGo is likely to face scrutiny over its crisis management and communication protocols, which many affected passengers described as insufficient.

Airport authorities, meanwhile, have been attempting to manage crowds, reorganize terminal flow, and assist stranded travellers where possible. However, with cancellations continuing into the weekend, pressure on airport infrastructure remains high. As the airline works on restoring schedules, passengers have been urged to check flight status regularly and to avoid arriving too early unless necessary, in order to reduce congestion.

Despite Saturday showing marginal improvement compared to the previous day, the situation remains fluid. Given the backlog of cancellations and the ongoing need for crew realignment, it may take several days before IndiGo returns to normal operations. The airline’s management is reportedly in continuous discussions with aviation authorities to explore temporary measures that could ease the burden on both staff and passengers.

Until clearer solutions emerge, travellers across India may need to prepare for delays, sudden cancellations, and a slower-than-usual experience at major airports. The widespread disruption of more than 440 flights on Saturday stands as a stark reminder of the operational fragility within even the largest and most dominant airlines, reinforcing the need for strategic planning, robust staffing, and transparent communication—especially during periods of regulatory transition and peak travel demand.