IndiGo Flight Delays: Nationwide Chaos As Over 200 Flights Cancelled, Hundreds Delayed; What’s Behind Disruptions

IndiGo Flight Delays: Over 200 IndiGo flights were cancelled while hundreds were delayed across major airports in India on Tuesday and Wednesday, as per the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). IndiGo's sudden collapse of schedule left thousands of passengers stranded leading to nationwide chaos. 

According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), a total of 1,232 IndiGo flights were cancelled in the month of November. A large share of cancellations arose from crew / FDTL compliance and airport/airspace/ATC-related factors, many of which lie beyond the operator’s direct control, MoCA stated.

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Reasons Behind IndiGo Disruptions

-Shortage Of Crew: Multiple IndiGo flights were impacted because of shortage of pilots and cabin crew after new regulations came into effect.

-New Roster Rules (FDTL Norms): The latest Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) in India is aimed at boosting safety and reducing fatigue. IndiGo, with considerable night-time operations, reportedly had a hard time developing rosters in time. The new rules demand weekly rest charts among other plans and schedules.

-Technical Issues At Major Airports: Failure of check-in and departure control systems at major airports further complicated the situation.

-Traffic And Congestion At Airports: Winter fog, new year and festive congestion at major metro airports also contributed to the disruptions of the IndiGo network.

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IndiGo has also been instructed to report to the DGCA Headquarters, where it will present the factors leading to the current situation, alongside plans to address the ongoing delays and cancellations, according to the statement.