IndiGo cancels over 550 flights after DGCA’s new pilot fatigue rules reduce crew availability. Airports witness crowded terminals and delays as the airline cuts schedules through early December.

IndiGo Cancels Hundreds of Flights as DGCA’s Rest Rules Disrupt Operations

India’s largest airline, IndiGo, cancelled more than 550 flights across the country on December 4, 2025, after new pilot duty-time restrictions sharply reduced crew availability. The updated DGCA norms—rolled out on November 1 to combat increasing cases of pilot fatigue—require a 48-hour weekly rest period and limit the number of night landings, directly affecting operational rosters.

The impact was particularly severe at Bengaluru, where 102 flights were grounded, leaving passengers stranded in long queues with minimal information. Reports from airports across India described crowded terminals, missed connections and widespread frustration over communication lapses.

Despite IndiGo’s dominant 60% market share, the sudden drop in deployable crew triggered its worst operational disruption in years. The airline issued an apology and announced that it would operate a reduced flight schedule through early December, while also requesting temporary relaxations from the aviation regulator.

The chaos illustrates the fragile balance between safety mandates and airline capacity. While improved rest rules are vital for preventing pilot fatigue—an international aviation concern—their rapid enforcement exposed scheduling weaknesses in India’s busiest carrier. Industry experts say airlines must urgently adjust crew planning models, while regulators may need phased implementation strategies to avoid nationwide travel disruption.