New Delhi, 5 December, 2025 | Prime Headlines:
India’s largest airline, IndiGo, is facing widespread disruption — with massive delays, cancelled flights, and frustrated passengers filling airports across the country. The situation has raised one big question:
Why is this happening?
According to aviation experts, the root cause is a mix of poor planning, staff fatigue, and regulatory confusion.
Captain M.R. Wadia, Founder-President of the Federation of Indian Pilots, put it bluntly:
> “The government and the DGCA do not understand what they are doing and are in total confusion.”
Pilot Shortage and Fatigue Rules
A major factor behind the chaos is the new duty-time and fatigue regulation rules. These rules are meant to prevent exhausted pilots from flying, but airlines like IndiGo allegedly failed to plan staffing in advance.
This has created a sudden shortage of available pilots, forcing IndiGo to cancel or delay hundreds of flights.
Poor Crisis Management
Passengers say the airline has been slow to communicate — with last-minute cancellations, no proper rebooking system, and long queues for refunds or alternative flights.
Many travellers reported spending hours stranded in terminals without clear answers.
Bigger Problem: Monopoly Pressure
With IndiGo controlling a large chunk of India’s domestic aviation market, any disruption hits the entire system. Analysts warn that when one airline becomes too dominant, a crisis in its operations can affect the entire sector.
What Happens Now?
The DGCA has requested explanations from IndiGo and may introduce temporary guidelines. However, experts believe the real fix will require:
Better pilot staffing
Stronger planning
Clearer government-industry coordination.
