Dec 05, Kathmandu - India's largest airline, Indigo, continues to grapple with a severe shortage of pilots and other flight crew members for the fourth straight day, leading to widespread flight cancellations and passenger inconvenience nationwide.

According to Indian media reports, over 500 flights have been cancelled at major airports, including Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, and Hyderabad. Delhi Airport has seen the highest cancellations, with 225 flights grounded. By Friday night, all domestic departures from Delhi were canceled. Similarly, 102 flights were canceled in Bangalore, 32 in Pune, and 32 in Hyderabad.

Passengers across the country are facing significant hardships due to these cancellations and delays, with many waiting for hours—some for an entire day—on stairs and chairs, unable to board their flights.

In response, Indigo has appealed to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to grant exemptions from certain schedule adherence rules until February 10, 2026. The airline has assured authorities that it expects to restore normal operations within three months.

Earlier, DGCA officials met with Indigo representatives on Thursday. The airline requested temporary relief from some provisions of the flight schedule time limit regulations for its A320 fleet, citing operational challenges. Indigo also projected that it would take approximately three months to normalize its services.

The DGCA has urged Indigo to address critical issues, including crew recruitment, training roadmaps, roster restructuring, safety planning, and to submit progress reports every 15 days. The airline has apologized to passengers and assured that it is working diligently to restore flights swiftly.