The operational crisis gripping IndiGo Airlines entered its sixth consecutive day on Sunday, with over 300 flights cancelled nationwide. The chaos comes despite the airline claiming a network revamp and the government mulling action against its CEO.
The cancellations continue to cause major disruptions at key hubs, including Bengaluru and Mumbai, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and their luggage untraceable.
Major Hubs Hit Hard
Both Kempegowda International Airport (Bengaluru) and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Mumbai) reported high cancellation numbers:
- Bengaluru: 61 scheduled flights cancelled, with only 30 taking off on Sunday morning.
- Mumbai: A total of 112 flights (56 departing, 56 arriving) were cancelled between midnight and 11 am.
The airline confirmed to its passengers via messages that flights to destinations including Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Srinagar have been called off. IndiGo stated on social media that it aims to operate over 1,500 flights on Sunday, claiming to have restored over 95% of connectivity to its 135 operational destinations.
DGCA Slams CEO and Management
The ongoing operational meltdown has drawn severe regulatory scrutiny. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a second show cause notice to IndiGo on Saturday, demanding an explanation within 24 hours.
The DGCA notice stated that the primary cause of the disruptions was the airline’s “non-provisioning of adequate arrangements” to meet the revised requirements of the approved Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) scheme.
The regulator directly held IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers accountable in its first show cause notice:
“As the CEO, you are responsible for ensuring effective management of the airline… You have failed in your duty to ensure timely arrangements for conduct of reliable operations and the availability of requisite facilities to passengers.”
Sources within the Aviation Ministry suggest that the government is now seriously considering the removal of IndiGo CEO Peter Elbers over the scale of the crisis and the operational mismanagement.
Meanwhile, ground counters, previously overflowing, are now seeing fewer people as precautionary measures and advance passenger notification of cancellations help manage the crowd. However, the scramble to trace missing and untraceable luggage remains a critical concern for passengers, particularly those with valuable or connecting flights.