DGCA Orders IndiGo to Cut Winter Schedule by 5% Over Large-Scale Cancellations
IndiGo cancels around 180 flights from Bengaluru, Hyderaba on Tuesday; likely to lose some routes
New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has issued a notice directing IndiGo to reduce its Winter Schedule 2025 by 5%, citing large-scale cancellations and operational inconsistencies.
According to the notice, DGCA had approved 15,014 departures per week for IndiGo under the Winter Schedule 2025 — totalling 64,146 flights for November. However, operational data submitted by the airline showed that only 50,418 flights were actually operated during the month, with 9,519 cancellations recorded.
DGCA further pointed out that although IndiGo was approved a 6% schedule increase compared to Winter Schedule 2024 — based on a reported fleet of 403 aircraft — the airline operated only 139 aircraft in October 2025 and 144 in September, far below the declared capacity.
“From the above, it is inferred that Indigo has increased its departures compared to previous schedules despite not demonstrating the ability to operate them efficiently,” the notice stated.
As a corrective measure, the DGCA has instructed IndiGo to scale back high-frequency and high-demand routes and avoid single-flight operations on any sector where appropriate.
The airline has been asked to submit a revised schedule by 5 PM on December 10, 2025.
The directive comes at a time when the carrier is already facing scrutiny from the Civil Aviation Ministry over widespread disruptions that left thousands of passengers stranded nationwide.
