IndiGo in crisis: Massive cancellations push punctuality to 35%, company releases statement

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): IndiGo, the country's largest airline known for its punctuality, is currently grappling with the most serious operational crisis in its history. The situation has worsened to such an extent that the airline's punctuality dropped to just 35 percent on Tuesday. This operational instability continued on Wednesday as well, leading to the cancellation of around 200 flights collectively by noon at major airports like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Since IndiGo has over 60 percent share in the domestic market, the disruption in its schedule has crippled the entire aviation system of the country and thousands of passengers are facing immense hardship.

The airline's chaos and flight delays are being attributed to a severe shortage of pilots and cabin crew. Revised Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) norms were implemented last month, aimed at ensuring pilots have adequate rest and fatigue prevention. These new regulations reduce pilot duty hours and increase rest hours. IndiGo is struggling to adapt its vast network to these stringent regulations, resulting in insufficient pilots to meet its rostered needs. The situation is such that many flights have been grounded due to the lack of crew, while some have been delayed by up to eight hours.

In view of the growing crisis, IndiGo has issued an official statement apologizing to the passengers. The company has acknowledged that its network has been severely affected for the last two days due to technical glitches, weather conditions, and new crew rostering rules. IndiGo has said that it is making some adjustments to its schedule in the next 48 hours to control the situation and restore stability. The company has offered refunds or alternative flights to affected passengers and advised them to check their flight status online before leaving for the airport.