IndiGo Flight Meltdown: 70+ Flights Cancelled Amidst Crippling Crew Shortage! The Real Reason Revealed!

IndiGo, India's largest airline, is facing significant operational chaos, with more than 70 flights cancelled on Wednesday and numerous others delayed across its network. This widespread disruption is attributed to an acute shortage of flight crew, severely impacting the airline's ability to operate its schedule.

Crew Shortages Trigger Mass Disruptions

• More than 70 IndiGo flights were cancelled on Wednesday alone.
• Scores of other flights experienced significant delays nationwide.
• Major hubs like Bengaluru and Mumbai were heavily affected by the cancellations and delays.
• Passengers faced substantial inconvenience, with travel plans thrown into disarray.

On-Time Performance Plummets

• On Tuesday, IndiGo's on-time performance (OTP) from six major domestic airports dropped to a mere 35 per cent.
• This figure lags far behind competitors such as Air India (67.2%), Air India Express (79.5%), SpiceJet (82.50%), and Akasa Air (73.20%).
• The sharp decline highlights the severity of the operational strain the airline is experiencing.

The Root Cause: New Flight Duty Rules

• Industry sources point to the recent implementation of the second phase of Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms as the primary driver of the crew shortage.
• These revised FDTL norms mandate 48 hours of weekly rest for crew, extend allowable night duty hours, and crucially, reduce the number of permissible night landings from six to two.
• Airlines, including IndiGo, had initially opposed these norms, seeking a phased implementation due to the need for additional crew.
• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) enforced the norms in phases following Delhi High Court directives, with the second stage becoming effective in November.

IndiGo's Operational Scale

• IndiGo operates approximately 2,100 domestic and international flights daily, a large proportion of which occur at night.
• As of December 2, the airline had a fleet of 416 aircraft, with 366 in operation and 50 grounded, an increase in grounded aircraft from the previous month.

Impact

• The sustained operational disruptions are likely to impact IndiGo's passenger trust and loyalty, potentially leading to a loss of market share.
• Financial implications include increased costs to manage crew rostering under new rules, potential compensation to affected passengers, and loss of revenue from cancelled flights.
• The incident highlights challenges within the Indian aviation sector in adapting to evolving regulatory standards.
  Impact Rating: 8/10

Difficult Terms Explained

• FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitation): Regulations that govern the maximum flight duty periods and minimum rest periods for flight crew to ensure safety and prevent fatigue.
• DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation): India's civil aviation regulatory body responsible for safety, standards, and overseeing the aviation industry.
• OTP (On-Time Performance): A key performance indicator for airlines, measuring the percentage of flights that depart or arrive within a specified timeframe (usually 15 minutes) of their scheduled time.