IndiGo Crisis: 60 Flights Cancelled In Bengaluru After CEO Assures Of 'Smooth Operations'

IndiGo on Wednesday cancelled more than 60 flights from Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, despite Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers asserting on December 9 that the carrier’s operations were back on track. The airline scrapped 61 flights through the day, including 35 arrivals and 26 departures.

This comes a day after the government cut IndiGo’s winter schedule by 10% roughly 220 of the nearly 2,200 daily approved flights, following which the airline had cancelled 460 flights from the six metro cities alone. On Tuesday, Elbers had claimed IndiGo was “back on its feet” and that operations were 'stable'.

He also said that lakhs of customers had already received full refunds, without disclosing exact figures, and declined to comment on compensation for passengers whose flights were abruptly cancelled, severely delayed or rescheduled without their consent.

Meanwhile, Elbers was summoned by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to submit a comprehensive report, including data and an update on the recent operational disruptions, and will appear before the regulator at 3 pm on Thursday. The airline, in a statement, said that it is "expecting to operate over 1,950 flights on Thursday."

It is pertinent to mention that, IndiGo has seen its pilots' strength depleting by 378 pilots in the last nine months. As per a reply in Parliament to a member's question earlier this year, IndiGo had employed 5,463 pilots as of March 20, 2025.

However, as per data presented by Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol on December 8 in reply to a Member's question, IndiGo had employed 5,085 pilots.

Keeping a tight watch on IndiGo's operations, the DGCA has decided to station its personnel at IndiGo's headquarters, as it steps up oversight on India's largest airline, which continues to cancel dozens of flights despite saying operations have stabilised.

The DGCA has formed an oversight team of eight senior captains, and two of them, along with two government officials, will be stationed at IndiGo's Gurgaon headquarters to monitor cancellation status, crew deployment, unplanned leave, and routes hit by staff shortages.

These teams will submit a daily report to the regulator, as per an order.

(with inputs from PTI)