Scale of the Crisis
- Mumbai: 104 flights cancelled in one day (53 departures, 51 arrivals).
- Delhi & Chennai: All domestic departures from Delhi scrapped; Chennai services suspended until evening.
- Nationwide: Over 550 flights cancelled in four days, with on-time performance plunging to 8.5%.
Why It Happened
- Crew Rostering Breakdown: Pilot duty schedules and rest requirements clashed with DGCA’s stricter rules.
- Regulatory Flip-Flop: DGCA first enforced new norms, then rolled them back under pressure.
- Systemic Fragility: IndiGo’s massive scale (60% market share) meant small scheduling errors snowballed into chaos.
Passenger Fallout
- Flyers stranded for 12+ hours, some for days.
- Missed exams, events, and even a karate champion’s homecoming.
- Protests erupted at airports over poor communication and lack of support.
IndiGo’s Response
- Apology + Waivers: Free cancellations/reschedules for Dec 5–15.
- Recovery Timeline: Promised normalization only by Feb 10, 2026.
- Communication Gap: Many passengers reported no prior notice of cancellations.
Bigger Picture
- Trust Erosion: IndiGo’s punctuality reputation took a major hit.
- Safety vs Feasibility: DGCA’s reversal highlights tension between crew welfare and operational demands.
- Industry Ripple: With IndiGo dominating domestic skies, its collapse disrupted the entire ecosystem.
Key Takeaway
IndiGo’s December 2025 meltdown wasn’t just a scheduling glitch—it exposed structural weaknesses in Indian aviation. Without stronger crew pipelines, smarter rostering systems, and transparent passenger communication, similar crises are bound to repeat.