New Delhi: India’s aviation sector continues to reel under heavy disruptions as IndiGo Airlines struggles to stabilise operations amid an unprecedented wave of flight cancellations. Over the past several days, hundreds of flights have been cancelled or delayed, leaving thousands of passengers stranded across major airports.
The Civil Aviation Ministry, taking note of the widespread inconvenience, has directed IndiGo to implement an immediate reduction in operations to ensure that the flights that do operate can do so reliably. Officials stated that the temporary scaling-down is intended “to restore operational stability” and prevent further chaos in the network.
In a parallel move, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued show-cause notices to the airline’s CEO and senior operations executives, asking them to explain the circumstances that led to the massive disruptions. The regulator has sought details on crew shortages, rostering issues, and contingency planning failures that may have contributed to the situation.
Sources indicate that a mix of crew unavailability, recent changes in scheduling protocols, and heightened operational pressure may have triggered the domino effect. IndiGo, which operates the largest fleet and network in India, has issued public apologies and assured passengers that it is working “around the clock” to restore normalcy.
Air passenger traffic has surged sharply in the past year, pushing carriers to operate at near-full capacity. Analysts believe that IndiGo’s troubles highlight the fragility of the aviation ecosystem, where even small operational missteps can rapidly escalate into nationwide disruptions.
The ministry has called for a detailed report and is expected to review the situation later this week.
