IndiGo's flight chaos: Delays and cancelations could last till February
IndiGo just hit its biggest rough patch in years—over 550 flights were canceled on December 4 alone, primarily due to a severe pilot shortage caused by new government rules and planning lapses.
New government rules now limit how much pilots can fly at night, so IndiGo doesn't have enough crew to keep up.
The airline says these disruptions will keep happening for a few more days, and things might not fully get back on track until February 10.
Why is this happening?
IndiGo's on-time performance has crashed—just 1 in 5 flights left as scheduled recently.
The new rules cut the number of night landings each pilot can do from six to two per week, leaving IndiGo with fewer available pilots than it needs.
What's being done about it?
IndiGo is asking aviation authorities for some temporary rule relaxations while they figure things out.
Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Minister called out the airline for not planning better even after warnings.
Industry experts say this mess could've been avoided if IndiGo had hired more pilots earlier or prepared for the rule change.
For now, IndiGo has promised regular updates and a recovery plan as they work through the crisis.