IndiGo Fights to Stay On Schedule Amid Widespread Flight Cancellations
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India's largest airline, IndiGo, is struggling to adapt to new crew rostering rules, resulting in a massive cancellation of 250 flights across major airports on Thursday. The disruptions have left thousands of passengers stranded, with the airline's on-time performance (OTP) plummeting to 19.7% from 35% a day earlier. The chaos, which started on Wednesday, has affected airports in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Delhi the most, with 33, 68, 85, and 73 flights cancelled respectively. On Wednesday, at least 67 flights were cancelled at Delhi airport, 42 at Bengaluru, 40 at Hyderabad, and 33 at Mumbai. According to sources, technology glitches, adverse weather, increased congestion, and the implementation of updated Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules have triggered the chaos. The FDTL rules, which came into force in November, aim to combat pilot fatigue by increasing weekly rest periods and limiting night landings. IndiGo has promised to make "calibrated adjustments" to its schedules for the next 48 hours to normalise operations and recover punctuality across the network. The airline has also offered alternate travel arrangements or refunds to affected customers. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an investigation into the situation and summoned IndiGo to its headquarters to present the facts leading to the current situation along with plans to mitigate the delays and cancellations. As India's largest airline operates around 2,200-2,300 flights daily to over 90 domestic and 45 international destinations, the disruptions have raised concerns about the airline's ability to cope with the new FDTL rules. The Airline Pilots Association of India has criticised what it calls "a failure of proactive resource planning" by dominant airlines. Ameya Joshi, an aviation analyst, said IndiGo's substantial nighttime flights require additional rest, making it challenging for the airline to adapt to the new rules. As the situation continues to unfold, IndiGo's customers and stakeholders are eagerly awaiting the airline's recovery plan to get back on schedule.
