The Directorate General of Civil Aviation of India ordered IndiGo to reduce its flight departures by 5% following a scheduling crisis that resulted in over 2,000 flight cancellations. The regulator required the airline to submit an updated flight schedule within one day, including the 5% reduction. The crisis occurred after new night flight regulations and weekly pilot rest rules took effect on November 1, which IndiGo said it failed to plan for adequately. The airline operates approximately 65% of India's domestic aviation market and is the country's largest carrier.
IndiGo reported that operations had stabilized by Tuesday, with more than 1,800 flights operating and a planned 1,900 flights for the following day. The airline's on-time performance, which was 84% in October, dropped to as low as 35% during the peak of the disruption. Passengers were stranded at major airports including New Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, with images circulating on social media showing large numbers of unclaimed bags in terminal areas.
IndiGo's shares declined 0.22% on the day of the announcement and have fallen nearly 17.1% since the start of the month. The airline acknowledged the impact on customers, with CEO Pieter Elbers issuing a public apology for the inconvenience caused. The DGCA's directive remains in effect as the airline implements the required schedule adjustments.