IndiGo flight cancellations: Airlines set to absorb 110 daily flights; government weighs 5% slot cut

New Delhi — India’s aviation ministry is preparing to reduce IndiGo’s domestic schedule by around 5 per cent, equivalent to roughly 110 flights a day, following a sharp rise in cancellations that has grounded more than 2,000 services across the country since early December.

The move comes as aviation authorities intensify efforts to manage disruptions triggered by crew shortages and newly enforced flight duty regulations. With IndiGo holding a 61 per cent share of India’s domestic market, officials say the temporary cut aims to ease congestion and redistribute capacity to airlines capable of absorbing additional demand.

According to industry reports, the cancellations escalated after the rollout of Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL Phase II) on November 1, which capped pilot hours and introduced mandatory 48-hour weekly rest periods. IndiGo, operating with lean staffing and limited crew buffers, was unable to maintain its schedule, prompting mass disruptions during the peak holiday and wedding season.

The situation peaked on December 5, when the airline cancelled more than 1,000 flights in what it termed a “network reboot” to reposition aircraft and crew. Delhi, Mumbai, and other busy airports saw significant crowding as passengers reported missed connections, exams, medical travel, and family events.

On December 3 alone, the carrier reported up to 300 cancellations, causing its on-time performance to fall sharply. Winter fog, airport congestion, A320-series software issues, and air traffic control delays compounded the operational stress, contributing to more than 2,000 cancellations overall.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is now reviewing IndiGo’s manpower availability and may impose proportional slot cuts if service stabilisation efforts fall short. A four-member committee is examining the circumstances leading to the disruptions and is expected to recommend penalties or further reductions should delays continue.

Rival carriers including Air India, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air are being considered for redistributed slots. All three have outlined available capacity and ongoing fleet expansion, positioning them to add services on short notice. Air India has taken a particularly active stance, seeking additional slots across key domestic corridors.

To manage fare volatility, the Air India Group introduced temporary caps on economy tickets for non-stop domestic routes starting December 4, overriding standard revenue management systems during the crisis period.

IndiGo has issued refunds, waivers, hotel accommodation, and ground transfers for affected passengers. According to the airline, operations showed improvement on December 8, with more than 1,800 flights operated, full network restoration, and on-time performance reaching 90 per cent. All cancellations in the day’s schedule were reportedly communicated in advance.

Authorities maintain that stabilisation will depend on continued crew hiring, compliance with duty rules, and revised winter scheduling. Slot redistribution is expected to begin once assessments conclude.