IndiGo in a tailspin: What numbers tell us about the airline in crisis

Pilot shortage leads to the cancellation of 4,000 flights, exposing years of lean crew planning

Dec 29, 2025, 18:07 IST1 min

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Indigo, India's largest airline, carries about seven in 10 domestic passengers

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The airlines registered a leading 84.1 percent on-time performance in October before the crisis exposed critical vulnerabilities in the carrier’s crew planning amid new pilot rest regulations.

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But the daily figure collapsed considerably this month to a low of just 3.7 percent on December 5. The carrier’s reputation for punctuality has taken a massive hit.

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About 4,000 flights were cancelled between December 2 and 8. December 5 saw the highest single day flight cancellations that week, stranding thousands of passengers during India’s peak wedding and holiday season.

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IndiGo’s lean staffing model left little buffer when the new Flight Duty Time Limitation rules took effect on November 1, mandating increased rest periods and reduced night flying hours. Government data shows that IndiGo runs fewer pilots per plane compared to other airlines.

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IndiGo has also added fewer pilots than competitors in the five years between FY19 and FY24.

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News reports indicate IndiGo will accelerate recruitment to hire 900 pilots by December 2026, despite data showing no prior hiring at this level.