Indian airline IndiGo experienced significant operational disruptions on December 6, 2025, with over 400 flight cancellations reported across major airports including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Pune, Jammu, and Srinagar. The disruptions were primarily attributed to rostering issues among pilots, which led to last-minute cancellations and stranded passengers.
At Bengaluru and Mumbai airports, 124 and 109 flights respectively were canceled, while Delhi recorded 106 cancellations and Hyderabad 66. The airline, which had previously canceled over 1,000 flights the previous day, issued a public apology through a video message from CEO Pieter Elbers, who mentioned the airline's expectation of fewer than 1,000 flights operating on that day.
Authorities and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) provided temporary relief measures, including rolling back certain work-hour regulations and allowing more night landings to help manage the crisis. IndiGo was notably the first carrier to oppose the new flight duty and rest period norms introduced in January 2024. The disruptions also affected domestic airports such as Pune, which saw 42 cancellations, and Srinagar, where seven of 36 scheduled flights were canceled.
Passengers faced significant inconvenience, especially at Pune airport, which operates within an Indian Air Force base and saw both inbound and outbound flights canceled, leaving numerous travelers stranded. The airline resumed a majority of its Jammu flights after initial cancellations but faced further restrictions and cancellations at Srinagar due to rostering conflicts. Overall, the ongoing issues underscore the impact of staffing and operational planning on airline safety and punctuality.
