‍NEW DELHI / MUMBAI — India’s busiest airline, IndiGo (6E), has scrambled to respond after mass cancellations and disruptions triggered one of the biggest operational crises in its history, affecting thousands of travellers nationwide. Over the period from 1 to 7 December, the carrier cancelled an estimated 5.86 lakh (586,000) bookings and processed refunds totalling ₹569.6 crore, equivalent to roughly US$67 million. 

When expanded to the full disruption window, from 21 November to 7 December, the airline reportedly issued 9.5 lakh refunds totaling ₹827 crore (US$97 million). 

Meanwhile, baggage handling has also been badly hit. Of roughly 9,000 checked-in bags separated from passengers, only about 4,500 bags had been returned as of the latest report. IndiGo says it expects to deliver the remainder within the next 36 hours. 

Flight Operations, Government Pressure

As of Monday, 8 December, 6E had scheduled 1,802 flights, covering 137 of its 138 destinations, yet still faced around 500 cancellations.

The disruption appears to be easing: the number of operating flights has increased from around 1,650 flights earlier to today’s count, indicating a gradual stabilisation. 

Under pressure from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), the airline has extended a complete waiver on rescheduling and cancellation charges through 15 December, emphasising the urgent need to ease passenger inconvenience. 

In a regulatory move, MoCA has also directed 6E to trace and deliver all baggage separated from passengers due to cancellations/delays to their residential or preferred addresses within 48 hours. 

6E has reportedly told regulators and the public that it expects to stabilise operations by 10 December. 

What Went Wrong

According to statements from the airline and aviation authority, the disruption stemmed from inadequate arrangements to meet revised staffing, duty-time, and rostering requirements under the new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules. 

Previously, crew weekly rest period was 36 hours — but under the revised FDTL, it was increased to 48 hours, which reportedly strained crew availability and scheduling flexibility. 

Though regulators later withdrew the policy amid the disruption, the lag in roster adjustments appears to have triggered cascading cancellations across the network.

DGCA Issues Show-Cause Notice; IndiGo Responds

The aviation regulator DGCA has formally issued a show-cause notice to 6E’s CEO, Pieter Elbers, holding him personally accountable for the airline’s “massive” and prolonged flight disruptions across India. 

According to the notice, DGCA cited “significant lapses in planning, oversight, and resource management,” saying the airline failed to make “adequate arrangements” to implement the revised crew rest and duty-time norms under the new pilot duty-time rules (the Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) scheme). 

The regulator asked for a detailed written explanation within 24 hours. However, recognizing the complexity of the issues and the scale of the disruptions, DGCA extended the deadline for reply to 6:00 PM, 8 December 2025.

In its reply to the DGCA, 6E said the cancellations were caused by a combination of factors, specifically:

1. Adverse winter weather at major airports causing repeated delays.
   
   
2. High crew leave during the year-end period reducing manpower availability.
   
   
3. Roster pressure from the new FDTL rest rules, which cut into pilot flying hours.
   
   
4. Seasonal traffic surge, making the network more sensitive to disruptions.
   
   
5. Airport congestion at key hubs slowing down aircraft rotations.

Larger Implications

The mass cancellations and refunds underscore a frail balance between regulatory compliance, operational planning, and passenger service in the Indian aviation sector.

For passengers, the disruption meant lost plans, uncertainty, missing baggage, and long waits for either refunds or rebooking — a severe blow, especially in the busy pre-holiday period. For the airline, the costs (in refunds, re-accommodation, baggage handling, and reputational damage) are high, which reflects the financial burden. 

For regulators, the incident raises questions about the pace and preparedness with which rule changes, especially related to crew duty time, are implemented. Ensuring adequate staffing levels and robust contingency plans before imposing tighter regulations appears critical to avoid such massive disruption.

Looking Ahead

6E says it aims to get operations fully back to normal by 10 December. The airline has extended its waiver on cancellation and rescheduling fees and appears to be working to clear the baggage backlog.

The next few days will still be important. Even though the airline holds a substantial share of the Indian market, how 6E manages refunds, resolves baggage issues, and stabilises its schedule will influence how much trust passengers place in the airline going forward.

For the wider Indian aviation industry, the episode highlights that even when regulatory changes are in place, such as the FDTL rules, they require more precise planning and sufficient buffer capacity to avoid significant disruptions.

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