IndiGo Cancels Over 550 Flights Amid Third Day Of Operational Disruptions

IndiGo cancelled more than 550 domestic and international flights on Thursday as operational disruptions continued for the third consecutive day, severely impacting travel plans across major airports.

Grappling with significant flight disruptions due to a multitude of factors, including cabin crew woes and technology issues, the airline has adjusted its schedules which means that pre-planned service cancellations are being carried out as part of normalising operations.

Sources told PTI that more than 550 flights were cancelled at different airports, including 172 flights at the Delhi airport, on Thursday.

There were at least 118 flight cancellations at the Mumbai airport, 100 at Bangalore, 75 at Hyderabad, 35 at Kolkata, 26 at Chennai, and 11 at Goa. Flight cancellations were reported at other airports also.

The airline, which typically operates around 2,300 flights daily, has been struggling with cabin crew shortages and technology issues, forcing schedule adjustments and pre-planned cancellations.

On Wednesday, IndiGo’s on-time performance plunged to 19.7 per cent from 35 per cent on Tuesday, far below its usual punctuality standards.

The civil aviation ministry and DGCA met senior IndiGo officials to review the situation and mitigation plans. CEO Pieter Elbers told staff that restoring normal operations and punctuality will not be an “easy target.”

'IndiGo has been experiencing a sharp rise in cancellations, reaching approximately 170-200 flights per day, which is substantially higher than normal,' the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement. According to DGCA, cancellations have surged to 170–200 flights per day, significantly higher than normal.

(With inputs from PTI)