India’s largest carrier, IndiGo, cancelled 92 flights across its domestic and select international network on December 9, 2025, affecting thousands of passengers and causing widespread disruption at major airports. The cancellations hit metro-to-metro connections as well as regional and northeastern routes, with key hubs such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Guwahati, Agartala, and Goa experiencing multiple grounded services. The airline cited “operational reasons linked to regulatory compliance” as the trigger for the sudden schedule cuts.

The cancellations stem directly from IndiGo’s inability to fully implement the second and final phase of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms that came into effect in November 2025. The updated rules mandate longer weekly rest periods for pilots and cabin crew, stricter night-duty definitions, and enhanced fatigue-risk management systems. Non-compliance would expose the airline to penalties and safety violations, forcing it to pull dozens of flights from the day’s roster rather than risk operating with a fatigued crew.

IndiGo’s board held an emergency meeting on Monday morning and formed a Crisis Management Group to address the fallout. The airline issued a public apology, offered full refunds or free rebooking to all affected passengers, and activated hotel accommodations where required. Travellers were advised to check real-time flight status on the IndiGo website or app before heading to the airport. A detailed list of the 92 cancelled flights, including popular sectors such as Delhi–Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati–Bhubaneswar, and Bengaluru–Indore, was promptly uploaded for transparency.

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The incident follows similar challenges faced by other Indian carriers after the DGCA tightened crew-duty rules in response to rising air traffic and global safety concerns. Air India Express and Akasa Air have also trimmed schedules in recent months to comply with the same norms. With India’s domestic market projected to cross 300 million passengers annually by 2030, regulators have prioritised crew welfare over rapid expansion, putting pressure on airlines to hire and train additional pilots and cabin crew at a faster pace.

Industry analysts note that IndiGo, commanding over 60% of the domestic market, is particularly vulnerable to such disruptions because of its high aircraft-utilisation model and thin crew buffers. The airline has already placed orders for hundreds of new aircraft and is accelerating pilot recruitment, but bridging the gap between booming demand and stricter regulations remains a short-term challenge.

Despite the inconvenience, passenger rights activists have welcomed the cancellations as evidence that safety regulations are finally being enforced. IndiGo has committed to achieving full FDTL compliance in the coming weeks and assured travellers that such large-scale disruptions will not recur. For now, the episode serves as a reminder of the growing pains accompanying India’s aviation boom.

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