IndiGo, India’s largest airline, cancelled over 400 flights across four major airports on Saturday, December 6, triggering widespread travel disruptions despite having secured temporary relief from stricter flight duty and rest period regulations mandated by the court. The cancellations were reported by PTI, citing industry sources.
At Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, operations were hit early in the day. According to an advisory issued by the airport and cited by ANI, 106 IndiGo flights were cancelled — 54 departures and 52 arrivals. Long queues, repeated schedule updates, and anxious passengers marked the morning as the airline attempted to stabilise its operations.
Mumbai also saw extensive disruption. By 9am, Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) confirmed that 109 IndiGo flights had been withdrawn from the schedule, including 51 arrivals and 58 departures. Passengers reported receiving late-night and early-morning alerts about cancellations, prompting many to rebook with little notice.
In Hyderabad, the impact was equally significant. The Hyderabad Airport GMR advisory stated that 69 IndiGo flights were cancelled through the morning — 26 arrivals and 43 departures. Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport reported 124 cancellations, with 63 departures and 61 arrivals affected.
The widespread disruption follows days of operational strain linked to the implementation of the court-ordered revised duty and rest regulations for pilots. IndiGo had received a brief relaxation during the second phase of the rollout on Friday, enabling it to restore a portion of its network. However, Saturday’s numbers indicated ongoing challenges in redeploying crew and returning schedules to normal.
In its latest advisory, IndiGo said its operations were “steadily resuming” and assured passengers that recovery efforts were underway. The airline urged travellers to monitor their flight status closely before proceeding to the airport.
Delhi Airport echoed the airline’s message in a separate update, noting that IndiGo’s services were “getting back to normal” following the extensive breakdown earlier in the week. Despite the reassurance, airport officials acknowledged that the full stabilisation of schedules may take time.
The cancellations represent one of the largest single-day disruptions for IndiGo in recent months and come at a time when travel demand remains high. Passengers across the affected cities were advised to stay updated through official airline channels and plan ahead while the carrier works to restore full operations.
