IndiGo Crisis: 180 Flights Cancelled, Thousands Stranded at Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru Airports
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IndiGo, India's largest budget airline, is facing a severe crisis with over 180 flights cancelled at three major airports - Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru - on Thursday. The cancellations are attributed to a crew shortage, exacerbated by new flight-duty and rest-period norms for pilots. This has led to a significant decline in the airline's On-Time Performance (OTP) to 19.7% at six key airports. As passengers grapple with the inconvenience, IndiGo has apologised for the disruptions and warned of further cancellations through Friday. The airline has initiated 'calibrated adjustments' to stabilise operations over the next 48 hours. However, the ordeal is expected to continue, with 73 IndiGo flights cancelled at Bengaluru airport and 33 outbound flights likely to be cancelled from Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. The crisis is a result of IndiGo's struggle to secure the required crew to operate its flights, following the implementation of the second phase of the FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitations) norms. The airline operates around 2,300 domestic and international flights daily and has been facing acute crew shortages. Thousands of passengers have been impacted by the disruptions, with many taking to social media to express their frustration. IndiGo has cited 'multitude of unforeseen operational challenges' as the cause for the chaos across its network over the past two days. The airline has promised to make 'calibrated adjustments' to stabilise operations and has apologised to passengers for the inconvenience. However, the situation is expected to remain challenging for the airline in the coming days.
