IndiGo cancels 560 flights today; refunds touch Rs 827 cr, 4,500 bags returned

YSRCP blames minister for crisis; Naidu defends new FDTL rules

YSRCP leader Margani Bharat on Monday accused Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu of “incompetence,” claiming he was solely responsible for the ongoing aviation crisis. Bharat alleged that the Centre pushed through the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules without departmental review, increasing mandatory pilot rest from 36 to 48 hours and triggering a major pilot shortage.

He said the sudden change meant IndiGo required nearly 900 additional pilots, which led to significant cancellations. Bharat noted that the airline operates 2,300 flights daily with 434 aircraft and around 5,400 pilots. According to him, passengers-including the elderly, patients and those transporting bodies- faced extreme difficulties, while other airlines reacted by sharply increasing fares.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu rejected these accusations and defended the new FDTL norms, saying they were aligned with international standards to ensure pilots receive adequate rest and improve overall passenger safety. He maintained that the primary cause of the disruptions was IndiGo’s operational shortcomings and said the Centre was working to restore stability.

Bharat also criticised TDP spokespersons for praising IT Minister Nara Lokesh on English news channels, asserting Lokesh had no authority over civil aviation. He further alleged that the Union Minister withheld details about the Ahmedabad incident and focused on shooting reels at the crash site.

(With agency inputs)

SC flags IndiGo crisis as 'serious'; Delhi HC sets December 10 for hearing

Passengers affected by IndiGo’s large-scale flight cancellations received some relief on Monday when the Delhi High Court agreed to hear a petition on December 10, while the Supreme Court described the resulting chaos as a “serious matter” but declined to intervene immediately. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant noted that lakhs of travellers were stranded, although he acknowledged that the Centre had already taken steps to address the situation.

According to the Civil Aviation Ministry, IndiGo cancelled 500 flights on Monday and planned to operate 1,802 services. The airline has returned 4,500 of the 9,000 misplaced bags and expects to deliver the remaining luggage within 36 hours.

When the matter was mentioned before the Supreme Court, a bench led by the CJI said the issue involved significant hardship, including health-related and urgent travel needs. Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court agreed to list a separate petition seeking government support and refunds for affected passengers.

Petitioners told both courts that cancellations were often not communicated and that delays had affected operations at 95 airports, leaving many passengers in difficult conditions.

IndiGo has been under pressure from the government and passengers since December 2, with disruptions tied to new pilot duty regulations. On Monday, more than 250 flights were cancelled from Delhi and Bengaluru alone.

IndiGo crisis a warning for high-risk sectors, says AILRSA

The disruption in IndiGo’s operations and the resulting aviation crisis resemble long-standing concerns raised by locomotive pilots in Indian Railways, who have similarly demanded scientifically designed work conditions to ensure operational safety, a major loco pilot union said on Monday.

The All India Loco Running Staff Association (AILRSA) stated that the IndiGo situation is a “warning” for all high-risk sectors. Secretary General K. C. James noted that fatigue among workers, whether in aviation or railways, directly threatens passenger safety. He said regulations grounded in modern sleep science are essential safety requirements, not attempts to avoid duty.

James added that the aviation turmoil should alert railway management, arguing that passenger safety relies even more on loco pilot alertness because technological systems in railways are less advanced than in aviation.

The union reiterated demands for limits on consecutive night duties, scientifically aligned work hours and adequate rest, citing past inquiry reports and committee recommendations that Railways has not implemented due to “operational constraints.”

(With agency inputs)

InterGlobe shares drop nearly 9 per cent amid IndiGo crisis

Shares of InterGlobe Aviation, IndiGo’s parent company, tumbled sharply on Monday, falling nearly 9 per cent as the airline’s operational crisis stretched into its seventh day. The stock closed 8.62 per cent lower at Rs 4,907.50 on the NSE, while on the BSE it dropped 8.28 per cent to Rs 4,926.55. During intraday trade, the scrip slipped to around Rs 4,842 on both exchanges, marking a decline of almost 10 per cent.

The steep fall pushed InterGlobe Aviation’s market capitalisation below Rs 2 lakh crore. On the NSE, its valuation eroded by Rs 17,884.76 crore to Rs 1,89,719.34 crore, while on the BSE it fell by Rs 17,179.24 crore to Rs 1,90,455.79 crore. The share price has been sliding since November 28, losing nearly 17 per cent over seven sessions.

Meanwhile, IndiGo cancelled 562 flights on Monday from six metro airports, including 150 from Bengaluru, continuing disruptions linked to new pilot duty regulations that left lakhs of passengers stranded nationwide. Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu told Parliament that the government has launched an inquiry and promised strict action.

A DGCA-appointed panel probing the airline’s failures is expected to summon IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and COO Isidre Porqueras. Last Friday, after scrapping 1,600 flights, IndiGo told the regulator that Phase-2 FDTL changes had overwhelmed crew planning and rostering.

(With agency inputs)

Prithviraj Chavan warns of aviation monopoly, seeks split of IndiGo

Congress leader and former Union minister Prithviraj Chavan said on Monday that the increasing concentration of market power in India’s aviation sector is a “serious threat” to the economy and undermines passenger interests. He argued that crisis-hit IndiGo should be divided into two companies to restore healthy competition. Chavan pointed out that only two major players now dominate the market, with IndiGo holding 65 per cent share and the Tata Group’s carriers accounting for nearly 30 per cent.

He recalled that India had 10 operational airlines in 2004, whereas today only two large entities remain, a trend he warned could worsen as passenger numbers grow. Calling IndiGo’s week-long disruption “unfortunate and shocking,” he alleged regulatory failures and collusion between the government and private airlines.

Chavan demanded the resignation of Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu, the suspension of the IndiGo CEO, and action against DGCA officials. He said monopoly in aviation is dangerous and urged the government to maintain control over the sector, revive a national carrier, and implement the long-pending Civil Aviation Authority proposal.

(With agency inputs)

DGCA panel may summon IndiGo CEO and COO in disruptions probe

A DGCA-appointed committee investigating the extensive disruptions to IndiGo’s flight operations is expected to call Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers and Chief Operating Officer Isidre Porqueras for questioning on Wednesday, reported PTI, quoting sources on Monday.

The four-member panel includes Joint Director General Sanjay Brahamane, Deputy Director General Amit Guupta, senior Flight Operations Inspector Kapil Manglik and FOI Lokesh Rampal. It has been tasked with identifying the root causes behind the disruptions by reviewing manpower planning, irregular rostering systems and the airline’s readiness to comply with updated pilot duty and rest requirements.

Formed on December 5 by DGCA chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, the panel will also examine adherence to the revised FDTL norms, assess gaps acknowledged by IndiGo and determine accountability for planning failures that destabilised operations. IndiGo had informed DGCA last Friday, after cancelling 1,600 of its 2,300 daily flights, that the revised Phase 2 FDTL rules triggered the crisis and that its crew planning and rostering were not sufficiently prepared.

The committee is required to submit its findings within 15 days. Meanwhile, DGCA has issued show cause notices to Elbers and Porqueras, with replies due by 6 pm on Monday.

The revised FDTL rules, implemented in two phases on July 1 and November 1, increased weekly rest periods, extended night hours, and reduced permitted night landings. Although initially opposed by domestic carriers, including IndiGo and Air India, the norms were rolled out following Delhi High Court directions with some variations. The rules were originally scheduled for March 2024, but airlines sought gradual implementation due to additional crew requirements.

(With agency inputs)

IndiGo cancels 562 flights across metros amid ongoing disruptions

IndiGo, controlled by Rahul Bhatia, cancelled 562 flights from six major metro airports on Monday, with Bengaluru alone accounting for 150 cancellations, reported PTI, quoting sources. The airline has been attempting to stabilise operations after nearly a week of large-scale disruptions triggered by regulatory changes, which have impacted lakhs of passengers. Its on-time performance improved to 79.9 per cent on Sunday, when it operated 1,650 flights and cancelled 650.

The report further stated that IndiGo has already cancelled 560 of its 2,300 scheduled daily flights from metro airports for Monday. The airline serves around 90 domestic destinations and more than 40 international ones, but data from non-metro airports was unavailable.

The cancellation count exceeded projections from the Civil Aviation Ministry, which earlier said IndiGo expected to run 1,802 flights and cancel 500. The airline did not release its own figures.

Of the 560 cancellations, Bengaluru recorded 76 arrivals and 74 departures scrapped. Delhi saw 83 departures and 60 arrivals cancelled. Mumbai logged 98 cancellations, Hyderabad 112, Kolkata just two, and Chennai 56, stated the report.

(With agency inputs)

Moody’s flags IndiGo disruptions as credit-negative event

As IndiGo’s crisis entered its seventh day, Moody’s Ratings said on Monday that the continuing disruptions are “credit negative” for the airline and could lead to “significant financial damage” from lost revenue and possible penalties. On Monday alone, IndiGo cancelled 562 flights across six metro airports. The carrier has struggled to restore operations after mass cancellations beginning last Tuesday, triggered by regulatory changes, though its on-time performance improved to 79.9 per cent on Sunday when it operated 1,650 flights and cancelled 650.

Moody’s noted that the turmoil, which began on December 2 and peaked with more than 1,600 cancellations on December 5, reflects “significant lapses in planning, oversight and resource management,” despite airlines having advance notice of the new FDTL rules. The agency said IndiGo faces financial strain from refunds, compensation and potential DGCA penalties.

IndiGo received a temporary exemption from FDTL norms until February 10, 2026, but the disruptions have hurt its reputation and may affect profitability. Shares of InterGlobe Aviation fell more than eight per cent on Monday.

Read the full story here: IndiGo flight cancellations ‘credit negative’, says Moody’s; slams planning lapses

YSRCP leader blames Aviation Minister for ongoing flight crisis

YSRCP leader Margani Bharat on Monday held Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu responsible for what he called a nationwide aviation crisis, alleging that the minister’s incompetence had led to the situation. He claimed the Centre introduced the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules abruptly and without departmental review, increasing pilots’ rest periods from 36 to 48 hours and creating a substantial pilot shortage. “Naidu’s incompetence alone is responsible for the ongoing aviation crisis… the Centre abruptly implemented new FDTL rules,” he told reporters.

Bharat alleged that passenger safety has been compromised and that travellers across the country are experiencing widespread inconvenience. He said IndiGo had suffered extensive cancellations because the rule change required around 900 additional pilots to continue normal operations. According to him, the airline operates 2,300 flights daily with a fleet of 434 aircraft and about 5,400 pilots.

He further stated that passengers-including patients, senior citizens and those transporting bodies-faced severe difficulties, while other airlines allegedly hiked fares sharply in response to the crisis.

Bharat also criticised TDP spokespersons for praising IT Minister Nara Lokesh on English news channels for supposedly managing the crisis from a war room, saying Lokesh had no authority in civil aviation.

He added that the Union Minister failed to release full details after the recent Ahmedabad incident and was “more interested in shooting reels” at the crash site. The TDP has not issued a response.

(With agency inputs)

Air India seeks pilots as IndiGo battles widespread disruptions

Air India has launched a new recruitment advertisement for pilots, declaring that “the sky is not the limit; it's just the beginning,” as it invites applications for positions within the Tata-owned carrier. The airline, which returned to Tata Group ownership in October 2021, is seeking pilots for its Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 fleets, both central to short- and medium-haul operations.

The otherwise routine hiring notice drew widespread attention online because it appeared at a time when Air India’s competitor, IndiGo, is grappling with an operational crisis. Since last week, IndiGo has faced major disruptions, cancellations, delays, and rescheduled flights due to a sudden shortage of pilots and crew. The turmoil followed the airline’s implementation of revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) regulations issued by the DGCA last year.

Air India announced on Instagram, “Command the future of Indian aviation,” inviting experienced B737 and A320 pilots to apply by December 22. The recruitment drive comes as IndiGo works to add more pilots to stabilise its operations, which have been strained by the updated FDTL rules.

Air India said it is looking for type-rated commanders for its A320 fleet, and both type-rated and non–non-type-rated pilots for the B737. Meanwhile, IndiGo’s disruptions continue, and shares of parent firm InterGlobe Aviation dropped 6.9 per cent today amid ongoing cancellations.