Indigo Flight Cancellations Updates: Amid sweeping travel disruptions across India, IndiGo on Friday offered full refunds for all flights cancelled between December 5 and 15, with the airline confirming that the payments will be automatically processed to passengers’ original mode of payment.
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 5, 2025
In a detailed post on X, the carrier said it has also rolled out a complete waiver on cancellations and rescheduling during this period. To ease the ongoing chaos at airports, IndiGo has arranged thousands of hotel rooms, surface transport options, and food and snacks for affected travellers.
The airline additionally stated that senior citizens would be given lounge access “wherever possible”, as part of expanded support measures. Apologising for the ongoing meltdown, IndiGo said it was “deeply sorry” for the situation that has left passengers stranded across major airports.
Over 1,000 Flights Cancelled on Friday Alone
Friday recorded the worst disruption yet, with more than 1,000 flights cancelled, sharply rising from 550 on Thursday and 85 on Wednesday.
Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad experienced the maximum blow, with IndiGo cancelling all 235 scheduled flights from Delhi alone, sending travel itineraries into chaos and leaving hundreds waiting for alternative arrangements.
IndiGo, which operates nearly 2,300 flights daily with a fleet exceeding 400 aircraft, attributed the large-scale disruption to a shortage of pilots, intensified by winter-schedule pressures.
Pilot Shortage and FDTL Norms Behind the Meltdown
The airline has formally requested partial relaxations in the new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms to stabilise operations. IndiGo noted that it expects full compliance only by February 2026, given the current manpower and operational constraints.
The ongoing crisis has severely impacted IndiGo’s On-Time Performance (OTP) — a metric on which the airline has historically prided itself. According to the Union Civil Aviation Ministry:
OTP fell from 35% on Tuesday to
19.7% on Wednesday, and then to
just 8.5% on Thursday — one of the steepest drops in recent years.
More Cancellations Expected Until December 8
IndiGo has informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that further cancellations will continue till December 8, after which the airline will reduce overall services as part of a stabilisation plan.
With passengers across the country struggling to rebook travel and airlines battling peak-season pressure, India’s aviation sector faces one of its worst operational breakdowns in recent memory.
