IndiGo Chaos Hits Thiruvananthapuram, Ahmedabad Airports
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered the formation of a high-level four-member committee to review the circumstances leading to widespread operational breakdowns at IndiGo
Thiruvananthapuram: IndiGo’s flight operations faced major disruptions on Saturday, with multiple cancellations reported at Thiruvananthapuram and Ahmedabad airports, officials said. Thiruvananthapuram International Airport recorded six domestic flight cancellations throughout the day, affecting travel plans across key routes.
The airline had 26 scheduled movements, including both domestic and international arrivals and departures. According to airport officials, IndiGo had 22 domestic operations scheduled for December 6—11 arrivals and 11 departures—along with four international movements comprising two arrivals and two departures.
Officials confirmed that the six cancelled domestic flights included three arrivals and three departures on the Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru routes. Passengers were advised to stay in touch with the airline for rescheduling options and updates.
Operations at Ahmedabad Airport also saw significant disruption, with authorities reporting seven arrivals and 12 departures cancelled between 12 am and 6 am on December 6. The disruptions at multiple airports highlight ongoing operational difficulties faced by IndiGo in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday ordered the formation of a high-level four-member committee to review the circumstances leading to widespread operational breakdowns at IndiGo. According to an official order, the DGCA observed that the airline failed to adequately prepare for implementing the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms under CAR 2024.
These norms—phased in following a Delhi High Court ruling—required airlines to improve manpower planning, restructure rosters and ensure a smooth transition to a new fatigue-management system. Despite repeated directions, IndiGo reportedly struggled with forecasting crew availability, completing required training and realigning rosters. This led to cascading delays and cancellations beginning in late November 2025, rising to 170–200 daily cancellations—significantly higher than other carriers.
The regulator said the disruptions pointed to “deficiencies in internal oversight, operational preparedness and compliance planning,” necessitating an independent assessment. The committee includes Joint Director General Sanjay K. Bramhane, Deputy Director General Amit Gupta, and senior safety officials Captain Kapil Manglik and Captain Lokesh Rampal.
The panel has been tasked with identifying root causes behind the disruptions, evaluating manpower planning and roster systems, and assessing IndiGo’s preparedness in implementing FDTL CAR 2024. It will also examine the airline’s compliance, accountability, mitigation efforts and steps taken to restore normal operations.
The committee must submit its findings to the DGCA within 15 days. The regulator stated that the report will support regulatory enforcement and ensure institutional strengthening to prevent similar large-scale disruptions in the future.