NEW DELHI, Dec 5: A massive operational collapse at IndiGo -India’s largest airline triggered nationwide travel disruption on Friday, prompting criticism from senior leaders and intervention by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor sharply criticised the airline, calling the situation “most unfortunate” and asserting that IndiGo had ignored repeated DGCA warnings about new pilot duty-time norms. “The airline needs to do some serious introspection… They have let down the public,” Tharoor said.
The meltdown follows the rollout of new aviation safety regulations that expand pilots’ weekly rest requirements from 36 to 48 hours and restrict night landings to two per week. IndiGo admitted the crisis stemmed from “misjudgment and planning gaps”, failing to ramp up pilot capacity ahead of the rule change.
Over 500 IndiGo flights were cancelled across the country, with Delhi Airport halting all departures of the airline, amounting to roughly 235 flights. Major metros faced similar turmoil, Mumbai cancelled 104 flights, Bengaluru 102, Hyderabad 92, and Chennai suspended all IndiGo services to major cities until 6 PM.
Stranded passengers reported missing job interviews, onward international connections, medical emergencies, and family ceremonies. Travel fares on alternative carriers surged, with Delhi–Mumbai tickets touching nearly ₹49,000.
As political pressure mounted, the DGCA granted IndiGo temporary relief from the enhanced night-duty restrictions to stabilise schedules.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi blamed the disruption on the “monopoly model” of the BJP-led government, saying it stifled competition and left ordinary travellers to bear the consequences. The issue ricocheted into Parliament, where Opposition MPs accused the Centre of negligence.
Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu assured the House that services would be restored within three days. “With operational steps initiated, flight schedules are expected to return to normal by Saturday,” he said, adding that a high-level inquiry has been ordered to determine accountability for the disruption.
