As per a government data of Tuesday, the airline’s on-time performance plunging to just 35%, a dramatic fall for a carrier long associated with punctuality.
New Delhi
India’s largest airline IndiGo is facing one of its most severe operational breakdowns in recent years. It has been forced to delay and cancel hundreds of flights across the country as it struggles to cope with new pilot rest and duty-hour norms, even a month after their implementation.
As per IndiGo website, it operates over 2,200 daily flights. While the government data from Tuesday shows the airline’s on-time performance plunging to 35%, a dramatic fall for a carrier long associated with punctuality.
The data implies over 1,400 flights were delayed on Tuesday. The turbulence continued on Wednesday when airports in Hyderabad, Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai collectively reported close to 200 IndiGo flight cancellations by afternoon, triggering chaos among passengers.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai airport issued a statement, “Some IndiGo flights operating from Mumbai Airport may experience delays or cancellations due to airline-related operational issues. Passengers booked with IndiGo are requested to check the latest flight status directly with the airline before heading to the airport.”
‘Crew shortage after new duty norms’
As per reports, a significant factor behind the chaos is a sharp shortage of crew, particularly pilots, following the introduction of revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms last month. The new rules mandate more rest hours and humane rosters, but IndiGo has been struggling to realign its massive network accordingly.
According to sources, many flights had to be grounded because no cabin crew was available, while others faced delays stretching up to eight hours. With IndiGo commanding more than 60% of the domestic airline market, the ripple effect from its disrupted schedule has been felt severely.
What caused chaos at IndiGo
IndiGo faces widespread flight delays and cancellations, impacting hundreds of services reportedly due to new pilot rest and duty-hour norms. The airline’s unpreparedness, stemming from poor planning and insufficient hiring, has led to significant disruptions during peak travel season, frustrating passengers and exposing operational challenges.