Amid delays and cancellations of IndiGo flights affecting travellers across India over the last two days, the airline on Thursday admitted misjudgment and planning gaps in implementing the second phase of the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms, and said that it will reduce flights from December 8.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said that IndiGo has been experiencing a sharp rise in cancellations, reaching approximately 170–200 flights per day, which is substantially higher than normal.
The airline told aviation regulator DGCA that more cancellations will continue for the next 2–3 days as part of schedule stabilisation efforts.
It added that corrective actions are underway and stable flight operations will be fully restored by February 10, 2026.
Earlier in the day, the airline's CEO, Pieter Elbers, admitted that the airline could not live up to the promise of providing good experience to customers.
In a message to IndiGo staff, he said that the airline's immediate goal is to normalise operations and bring punctuality back on track 'which is not an easy target'.
"We serve close to 380,000 customers a day and want each of them to have a good experience. We could not live up to that promise these past days, and we have publicly apologised for that," he said.
Elbers said that several issues impacted the airline, including operational challenges, minor technology glitches, schedule changes, adverse weather conditions, heightened congestion in the aviation ecosystem, and the implementation of the newly released FDTL.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Civil Aviation, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, held a high-level meeting with IndiGo’s senior management in the presence of Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and officials.
Naidu expressed clear displeasure at the airline's handling of the situation by the airline and directed IndiGo to urgently normalise operations and to ensure that there is no increase in airfares due to the current situation.
He also instructed the airline to proactively inform passengers of any likely cancellations well in advance and to ensure that all necessary facilities, including hotel accommodation where required, are provided promptly.
The ministry said that the DGCA has been directed to conduct strict real-time monitoring of IndiGo’s operations, including field inspections at major airports, with special emphasis on passenger-handling arrangements and timely communication during delays and cancellations.
