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India’s aviation sector remained paralyzed on December 6, 2025, as IndiGo’s operational nightmare continued for the fifth day. More than 1,000 flights were canceled across the country on Friday alone – more than half of the airline’s daily schedule of 2,300 flights. There has been chaos at hubs like Delhi (225+ cancellations), Mumbai (104), Bengaluru (102), Hyderabad (92), and Pune (32+), leaving thousands stranded amid peak winter demand. On-time performance dropped to 35% on the first day, and X (Twitter) was flooded with stories of virtual weddings, delays in the transport of coffins, and families sleeping on airport floors.

FDTL’s irregularities revealed
What is the reason for this? Strict implementation of DGCA’s new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules, which were introduced in phases from July 1 and fully implemented from November 1, 2025. These rules include 48 hours of weekly rest, more time for night-duty and a ban on landings to reduce pilot fatigue. IndiGo, which has 63% share in the domestic market, admitted to “miscalculations and lack of planning” in crew rostering, which further aggravated the shortage of pilots in the winter schedule. Due to technical glitches, weather and ATC congestion, the “unexpected mix effect” surprised the airline, while rivals like Air India (2% change) easily adjusted.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu criticized IndiGo’s “mismanagement”, ordered a high-level inquiry and suspended FDTL Phase II till February 2026, which includes relaxation in night-landing and option for rest holidays. ALPA India prioritized safety over haste, condemning “selective and unsafe” relaxations.

Timeline of disruption: a sobering statistic
– **2 December (1st day):** 200 flights cancelled; OTP 35%.
– **3 December (2nd day):** 150+ (62 Bengaluru, 38 Delhi). – **December 4 (Day 3):** 300–550 (73 Bengaluru, 95 Delhi, 85 Mumbai).
– **December 5 (Day 4):** 1,000+ (all Delhi domestic till midnight; 104 Mumbai, 102 Bengaluru).
– **6 December (Day 5):** 400+ from four major airports; According to Delhi Airport, operations are “gradually resuming”.

Total: 1,232 in four days, according to IndiGo.

Lifeline for passengers amid the storm
IndiGo CEO Peter Albers apologized via video: “Today was the worst day… We expect less than 1,000 cancellations on Saturday, with a full recovery by December 10-15.” The relief includes automatic refunds, waiver of rescheduling/cancellation fees till December 15, and food/lodging arrangements as mandated by DGCA. Fares skyrocketed (Delhi-Kolkata: ₹50K), leading to complaints of exploitation.

Indian Railways fitted 116 additional coaches in 37 trains (e.g. Pune-SBC, CSMT-New Delhi), along with six special trains from Central Railways. SpiceJet increases flights from Mumbai; Charter flights also increased.

IndiGo’s shares fell 3%, and there were calls for an antitrust investigation into its monopoly. As the investigation progresses, this “unprecedented” incident exposes the fragility of aviation – safety wins, but at the cost of trust?