New Delhi: The Centre has ordered a reduction in IndiGo’s winter schedule after a week of severe flight disruptions that affected thousands of travellers across the country. The aviation regulator has instructed the airline to scale back operations by five per cent, which translates to roughly 110 fewer flights each day. The released slots will be reassigned to other carriers to help maintain overall connectivity.
The directive followed a detailed review of IndiGo’s performance during the recent crisis. The regulator noted that while the airline had approval for more than sixty four thousand departures in November, it operated fewer than sixty thousand, with close to one thousand cancellations recorded during the month. Despite receiving approval for an expanded schedule supported by a larger fleet, the airline was unable to deploy the number of aircraft it had committed to for the season.
According to the assessment, IndiGo had increased its scheduled departures significantly compared with the previous winter and summer periods. However, the review concluded that the airline had not demonstrated consistent capacity to manage these expanded operations. The regulator has therefore instructed a uniform five per cent reduction across all sectors, with particular focus on routes that experience heavy demand. The directive also aims to avoid situations where only one daily flight is available on a route operated solely by IndiGo.
The government has stated that a full inquiry into the disruptions is underway. Officials have emphasised that passenger welfare and operational reliability remain a priority and that airlines must ensure stable crew management in line with revised safety requirements.
The turmoil unfolded as new rules intended to reduce pilot fatigue came into effect. These norms mandated longer rest periods and required airlines to strengthen staffing. IndiGo, which operates more than two thousand flights each day, faced significant pressure as it adjusted to the updated framework. The shortfall in available crew led to widespread cancellations and considerable strain on passenger travel plans.
The government has also reiterated its intention to encourage more competition in the aviation sector, noting that the market has the capacity to support several major carriers.
