Chandigarh, Dec 4: IndiGo passengers across northern India faced another day of cancellations and lengthy delays on Thursday, as the airline’s operational troubles—now stretching into a third day—disrupted schedules and left hundreds stranded. The DGCA has begun meeting IndiGo officials to review the situation, after more than 300 flights were cancelled by midday.
Chandigarh airport saw some of the worst congestion. Fourteen of 15 IndiGo departures were delayed, including the Mumbai flight scheduled for 5:20 a.m., which finally took off nearly three hours late. A 7:20 a.m. Chennai service was pushed to 3:55 p.m., and flights to Leh and Ahmedabad had still not departed even by mid-afternoon. Arrivals slipped as well: a Bengaluru flight due at 7:30 a.m. landed at 8:54 a.m.
Passengers voiced anger online, reporting confusion and lack of information.
“My flight from Goa to Chandigarh (6E724) is cancelled,” wrote Ravindra Soni on X. “I was put on hold for 30 minutes before the call disconnected. The AI assistant didn’t help either.”
Gourav Singh posted, “No announcements, no accountability. Same old airlines never learn.”
Jammu airport also saw major disruptions, especially on the Delhi route. “My flight has been delayed by four hours,” a passenger said. Another added, “The flight that was supposed to leave at 10:30 a.m. is now scheduled for 3:30 p.m.”
Of 11 IndiGo flights from Jammu, eight were delayed and one cancelled on Thursday, while only two landed on time.
Airport director Devendra Yadav said the issues began after December 1, when the DGCA imposed new limits on pilot duty hours. “IndiGo’s roster-monitoring software developed a glitch, which affected pilot availability,” he said. “Passengers were informed through SMS, and we have contingency seating and readjustment plans in place.”
IndiGo, known for its punctuality, has yet to publicly explain the cause of the extended disruption.
