New Delhi: The Centre has initiated action against IndiGo following widespread chaos at airports nationwide, with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) slashing the airline’s winter schedule by 5 per cent. IndiGo, which operates around 2,200 domestic and international flights daily, will see roughly 110 flights cut from its operations, with the freed slots allotted to other airlines.
The DGCA, in its notification, said the decision followed an examination of IndiGo’s approved Winter Schedule 2025 in the wake of last week’s crisis, during which hundreds of flights were cancelled and thousands of passengers stranded. While the regulator had cleared 15,014 weekly departures—amounting to 64,346 flights for November 2025—the airline operated only 59,438 flights and reported 951 cancellations during the month.
Despite approval for enhanced operations based on an expanded fleet of 403 aircraft, the airline flew only 339 aircraft in October and 344 in November. The regulator noted that IndiGo increased departures by 9.66 per cent compared to Winter Schedule 2024 and 6.05 per cent over Summer Schedule 2025, but failed to demonstrate the capability to manage these schedules efficiently. The DGCA has ordered a 5 per cent reduction across sectors, especially on high-frequency routes, and advised avoiding single-flight operations on any sector.
Union Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu had earlier warned of strict action, attributing mass cancellations to an “internal crisis” triggered by the enforcement of new passenger safety norms. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, he said airlines were responsible for crew management and roster adjustments as per the regulations, and assured a thorough inquiry into the situation. The Opposition walked out, dissatisfied with his response.
The turmoil followed the implementation of revised flight safety rules introduced nearly two years ago to curb pilot fatigue by increasing mandatory rest periods. IndiGo, which traditionally emphasised minimal downtime, faced an acute crew shortage as the norms took effect, leading to escalated cancellations and severe passenger inconvenience. As disruptions mounted, the DGCA temporarily relaxed the new fatigue-management norms to stabilise operations. (Agencies)
