India's travel chaos has worsened after the country's largest airline IndiGo cancelled hundreds of scheduled flights on Friday following three days of widespread disruption across its network.
The carrier, which holds a 60% market share in India, operates more than 2,000 flights daily and has been grappling with pilot shortages after failing to adapt to new crew rostering regulations.
Thousands of passengers are stranded nationwide during a busy travel season, with all IndiGo flights from the capital Delhi having been cancelled. The airline expects operations to normalize only by 10 February and seeks temporary relief from the new rules mandating longer rest hours and restrictions on night work.
To mitigate further disruptions, IndiGo will reduce its flight operations starting December 8. The government is monitoring the situation closely, with India's federal aviation minister expressing clear dissatisfaction with how the airline has managed the crisis.
Meanwhile, the aviation regulator has attributed the disruptions to 'misjudgment and planning gaps' in implementing the new flight duty time regulations.
IndiGo has been directed to submit a comprehensive plan addressing crew recruitment, training, roster restructuring, and safety assessments immediately.
The Airline Pilots Association of India has criticized IndiGo, warning that any temporary relief from duty regulations undermines safety protocols and endangers passengers.
Among the passengers, frustration has grown due to lack of communication and support, leading to anger expressed on social media. Singapore's High Commissioner to India, Simon Wong, shared his plight of being stranded and missing a colleague's wedding.
Major airports including those in Delhi and Mumbai have advised travelers to verify flight statuses before arriving at the airport.
