Centre Cuts IndiGo’s Winter Schedule by 5%

Centre Cuts IndiGo’s Winter Schedule by 5% After Nationwide Disruptions

The Centre has initiated action against IndiGo following recent airport disruptions across the country. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has reduced IndiGo’s winter schedule by 5 per cent, lowering the number of flights the airline can operate.

IndiGo currently operates about 2,200 domestic and international flights each day. The revised schedule reflects a reduction of around 110 flights daily, with the freed slots to be allocated to other carriers, the government confirmed.

According to the DGCA notification, the approved winter schedule was reviewed in light of last week’s cancellations, which affected many passengers. The regulator noted that IndiGo had 15,014 weekly departures cleared for the Winter Schedule 2025, totalling 64,346 flights for November. However, operational data showed that 59,438 flights were operated and 951 were cancelled during the month.

The DGCA further stated that although IndiGo was allowed a 6 per cent increase in its Summer Schedule 2025 based on a fleet of 403 aircraft, the airline operated 339 aircraft in October and 344 in November.

The regulator observed that IndiGo had increased its departures by 9.66 per cent compared to Winter Schedule 2024 and by 6.05 per cent relative to Summer Schedule 2025, but had not demonstrated consistent capability to manage the expanded schedule. The DGCA has directed the airline to reduce operations by 5 per cent across sectors, with a focus on high-demand routes, and avoid single-flight operations on any industry.

Earlier, Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu had indicated that the government would take firm action. Speaking in Parliament, he stated that the flight cancellations over the past week stemmed from an internal issue at IndiGo linked to the implementation of new passenger safety norms. He added that the government would conduct a detailed inquiry.

The Minister mentioned that the aviation sector has room for more players and expressed confidence that India can support five major airlines. A walkout from the Opposition followed his remarks.

The disruptions caused widespread inconvenience, affecting travel plans for weddings, holidays, and work commitments. The situation emerged after the introduction of updated flight safety rules aimed at addressing pilot fatigue by increasing rest hours. The changes required airlines to hire additional pilots.

IndiGo, which operates with tight turnaround times, experienced crew shortages as the rules took effect, resulting in large-scale cancellations. As the situation escalated, the DGCA temporarily eased the new norms to stabilise operations.