The Fifth Day of Indigo's : Chaos Continues as Airports Remain in Limbo and Travelers' Frustration Peaks.

Five-Day IndiGo Flight Crisis Leaves Passengers Stranded; Airport Operations Grind to a Halt.

IndiGo, India's largest airline, has faced severe flight disruptions across major airports like Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Chennai, with over 1,000 cancellations since early December 2025, leaving passengers stranded for a fifth day as of December 6. 

The crisis stems from a pilot shortage due to new government Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules, technical glitches, airport congestion, and poor weather, complicating crew scheduling and operations. IndiGo holds over 60% of the domestic market and operates more than 2,300 daily flights, amplifying the impact. 

Scenes of frustration, tears, and confrontations erupted at airports, with travelers facing long queues, lack of information, food, or accommodation; notable cases include a World Cup winner's 12-hour delay and fares tripling to Rs 80,000 on alternatives. All IndiGo domestic flights from Delhi were halted until midnight on December 5. 

IndiGo issued apologies, promising full refunds, waivers for rescheduling between December 5-15, and stabilization efforts, with Delhi Airport noting operations returning to normal by December 6. Full recovery may extend to February 2026 despite DGCA relief on pilot rest norms.