IndiGo cancels 550 flights across India, passengers face chaos as delays persist
The chaos primarily affected key airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad, with at least 191 flights grounded in these cities alone
- Dec 5, 2025,
- Updated Dec 5, 2025 7:34 AM IST
India’s largest airline, IndiGo, faced massive disruptions on Thursday, as 550 flights were cancelled nationwide. The chaos primarily affected key airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad, with at least 191 flights grounded in these cities alone. The airline has issued an apology and is working with authorities to resolve the issue and minimise delays.
IndiGo, which is one of the country’s top carriers, has been grappling with a series of operational setbacks over the past few days. On Thursday alone, more than 300 flights were cancelled, while numerous others were delayed. The airline had already faced significant disruptions in November, with 1,232 flight cancellations recorded, prompting a closer look by aviation regulators.
In response to the ongoing crisis, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) launched an investigation into the situation, requesting that IndiGo provide explanations for the drastic decline in service. The airline attributed the disruptions to several factors, including staff shortages, Air Traffic Control (ATC) failures, and airport restrictions. According to IndiGo, of the 1,232 cancellations, 755 were due to staffing issues, 92 to ATC failures, 258 to airport restrictions, and 127 for other reasons.
The airline has assured passengers that it is working with the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA), DGCA, and other authorities to rectify the situation. “IndiGo teams are working diligently… to reduce the cascading impact of these delays and restore normalcy,” the airline stated.
CEO Pieter Elbert also addressed the situation internally, sending out an apology to staff, which was later shared publicly. Elbert explained that a combination of challenges had led to the operational setbacks. “An accumulation of several operational challenges… compounded negatively to create a cascading impact on our operations,” he said. He also acknowledged that the airline had not lived up to its promise of providing a satisfactory experience for its 380,000 daily customers.
Passengers, meanwhile, took to social media to express frustration over the long delays and cancellations, highlighting the growing dissatisfaction with the airline’s performance.
India’s largest airline, IndiGo, faced massive disruptions on Thursday, as 550 flights were cancelled nationwide. The chaos primarily affected key airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad, with at least 191 flights grounded in these cities alone. The airline has issued an apology and is working with authorities to resolve the issue and minimise delays.
IndiGo, which is one of the country’s top carriers, has been grappling with a series of operational setbacks over the past few days. On Thursday alone, more than 300 flights were cancelled, while numerous others were delayed. The airline had already faced significant disruptions in November, with 1,232 flight cancellations recorded, prompting a closer look by aviation regulators.
In response to the ongoing crisis, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) launched an investigation into the situation, requesting that IndiGo provide explanations for the drastic decline in service. The airline attributed the disruptions to several factors, including staff shortages, Air Traffic Control (ATC) failures, and airport restrictions. According to IndiGo, of the 1,232 cancellations, 755 were due to staffing issues, 92 to ATC failures, 258 to airport restrictions, and 127 for other reasons.
The airline has assured passengers that it is working with the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA), DGCA, and other authorities to rectify the situation. “IndiGo teams are working diligently… to reduce the cascading impact of these delays and restore normalcy,” the airline stated.
CEO Pieter Elbert also addressed the situation internally, sending out an apology to staff, which was later shared publicly. Elbert explained that a combination of challenges had led to the operational setbacks. “An accumulation of several operational challenges… compounded negatively to create a cascading impact on our operations,” he said. He also acknowledged that the airline had not lived up to its promise of providing a satisfactory experience for its 380,000 daily customers.
Passengers, meanwhile, took to social media to express frustration over the long delays and cancellations, highlighting the growing dissatisfaction with the airline’s performance.