Why IndiGo Is Struggling: The Real Turbulence is Crew Crunch, Not Tech or Congestion

IndiGo cancelled over 70 flights as severe crew shortages hit operations after new FDTL norms. Delays surged and on-time performance plunged, leaving passengers stranded across major airports.

India’s largest airline by market share, IndiGo, is facing an unusually chaotic week. On Wednesday alone, more than 70 flights were cancelled across the country — many of them operating out of major hubs like Bengaluru and Mumbai — raising concerns among thousands of passengers stranded or left scrambling to rebook.

Airline and industry sources attribute the disruption to a severe shortage of crew, a crisis worsened by the latest phase of new aviation safety rules.

What Went Wrong? Crew Shortage Hits Operations Hard

Passengers across airports woke up to long queues, reissued boarding passes and repeated flight delay announcements — a stark shift from IndiGo’s usual reputation of punctuality.

According to sources, the implementation of the second phase of Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) has hit the airline’s crew rostering operations harder than anticipated.

“IndiGo has been facing acute crew shortage since the implementation of the second phase of the FDTL norms, leading to cancellations and huge delays in its operations across the airports,” a source told PTI.

The impact snowballed rapidly.

“The situation turned bad on Tuesday for the airline and the shortage turned worse on Wednesday with scores of flights cancelled and delayed from across airports in the country,” another source added.

IndiGo’s Response: Technology Issues, Congestion, Regulations

The airline has acknowledged the disruptions, though it cited multiple causes behind the operational setbacks.

"We have had several unavoidable flight delays and some cancellations in the past few days due to various reasons including technology issues, airport congestion, and operational requirements," an IndiGo spokesperson said in a statement.

Behind the formal language lies an uncomfortable truth: the airline’s rapid expansion and heavy reliance on night operations are now clashing with stricter crew rest mandates.

What Are The New FDTL Norms? Why Are Airlines Struggling?

The revised norms — enforced by India’s aviation regulator DGCA — aim to improve pilot rest and safety by:

• Increasing weekly rest period to 48 hours
• Extending the definition of night hours
• Limiting night landings to two per week (earlier six)

These provisions were originally due in March 2024, but airlines including IndiGo and Air India had requested staggered enforcement citing crew availability concerns.

The first phase kicked in July. The second, more stringent phase started November 1.

IndiGo’s request for gradual rollout was accepted — but clearly, the transition hasn’t been smooth.

A Sharp Fall in Punctuality

Data from the Civil Aviation Ministry website shows IndiGo’s on-time performance nosediving at six major airports on Tuesday:

Airline	On-Time Performance
IndiGo	35%
Air India	67.2%
Air India Express	79.5%
SpiceJet	82.50%
Akasa Air	73.20%

For an airline that built its brand on efficiency and reliability, this drop is alarming.

A Fleet Too Big for Current Crew?

As of December 2:

• IndiGo had 416 aircraft in total
• 366 are in operation
• 50 aircraft are grounded — a number that has increased from 47 last month

With roughly 2,100 domestic and international flights every day, a significant portion operating at night — the pressure on crew has reached a boiling point.

Passengers Pay the Price

For travellers, especially those connecting through major metros, the disruptions have turned business trips into anxious marathons and family holidays into long waiting games.

While airlines juggle safety rules and staffing logistics, passengers are left hoping the crisis doesn’t stretch into the busy holiday season.

What’s Next?

Industry experts suggest this may only be the beginning unless:

• Crew hiring and training accelerate rapidly
• Scheduling systems adapt more efficiently
• Airlines revise night-heavy route strategies

Crew fatigue rules are meant to keep aviation safer, and pilots have welcomed the change. But for IndiGo, striking balance between safety compliance and operational dependability will define the coming weeks.

For now, India’s most trusted airline is navigating rough air — and passengers can feel every bump.