India's travel chaos has worsened after the country's largest airline IndiGo cancelled hundreds of scheduled flights on Friday following three days of widespread disruption across its network.
The carrier, which has a 60% market share in India and operates more than 2,000 flights a day, is grappling with pilot shortages after failing to adapt quickly to new crew rostering rules.
Thousands of passengers remain stranded across the country during this busy travel season, with all IndiGo flights from the capital, Delhi, cancelled.
IndiGo has announced that it will only regain full operational normalcy by February 10, and it is seeking temporary relief from new regulations that necessitate longer rest hours and limit night-duty.
Moreover, the airline has indicated it will decrease its flight operations to minimize further disruptions starting December 8.
The federal government is closely monitoring the situation, with the aviation minister expressing clear dissatisfaction regarding how IndiGo has managed these cancellations.
India's aviation regulator stated the disruptions stemmed mainly from misjudgment and planning gaps in implementing the new flight duty regulations, directing IndiGo to submit a comprehensive plan for crew recruitment and management immediately.
Criticism has also flowed in from the Airline Pilots Association of India, with claims that any leniency towards IndiGo regarding duty timings undermines the intent of the new regulations and poses risks to passenger safety.
Under the new rules, pilots now receive enhanced rest periods, having their night-time landing limit reduced from six to just two per week.
Numerous passengers have taken to social media to express outrage over the lack of timely information while stranded at airports without provisions.
Singapore's High Commissioner to India, Simon Wong, conveyed his shock as he found himself one of the stranded passengers, forced to miss a wedding due to the fiasco.
Major airports including those in Delhi and Mumbai have issued advisories urging passengers to verify flight statuses before arriving.
