Chaos At Major Airports As Angry Passengers Confront Staff Amid IndiGo Flight Delays, Cancellations

Hyderabad: Passengers across several airports faced significant delays and heavy congestion on Thursday as cascading operational issues at IndiGo disrupted flight schedules. Long queues, extended waiting times, and a surge in passenger traffic created bottlenecks throughout terminal areas, causing frustration among travellers.

Chaotic scenes unfolded at Telangana's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad, on Thursday following widespread flight delays triggered by IndiGo’s operational disruptions. Visuals from the terminal showed the delay led to long queues, confusion, distress among passengers and crowds swelled up as passengers sought updates on their flights and engaged in a war of words with the IndiGo staff.

As per reports, the melee ensued after several IndiGo flights were delayed owing to operational issues, adding to congestion at the airport.

Bengaluru Airport also affected

Widespread disruptions also continued for a second consecutive day at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru, where IndiGo flights saw major delays and cancellations, severely affecting passengers. Owing to cascading flight schedule disruptions, several passengers were forced to spend night at the airport and overcrowding was seen at the Terminal 1.

IndiGo's operations at Terminal-1 were hit hardest, with technical issues and crew shortages causing long delays. Visuals further showed many passengers sitting on the floor, while elderly travellers and families with children struggled to navigate the situation. Passengers complained of prolonged wait times with limited communication from the airline, adding to stress and discomfort.

Chaotic scene at Pune and Mumbai Airport

Following extensive delays in IndiGo’s flight operations, Pune's Jagadguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj Airport also witnessed heavy congestion and prolonged wait times, where several passengers were stranded since yesterday. As per the visuals, the passengers were said to have been stranded since over 12 hours at the airport and were seen sloganeering 'IndiGo Hai Hai' amid the aviation crisis.

Chaos also escalated at Mumbai airport as IndiGo’s nationwide operational crisis deepened. Passengers were seen stranded, frustrated and scrambling for alternatives as the staff confirmed that operations for December 4, 2025, include 85 planned cancellations, comprising 41 arrivals and 44 departures. The airline added that further updates will be issued if additional cancellations are announced. Several clips showed heated arguments at Mumbai airport counters, long queues and passengers chanting against the airlines following deep frustration caused by hours-long delays, lack of updates and last-minute cancellations.

Shortage of Pilots and Crew

Preliminary probe revealed that airline's disruption was mainly due to a shortage of pilots and crew. The reimplementation of FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limit) norms and reduced crew availability led to flight cancellations and rescheduling, affecting IndiGo operations not only in Bengaluru but across the country.

Passengers expressed frustration with the airline's lack of clear communication. Some staged protests near airline counters, alleging they were not provided accurate departure information.

Following the delay, the Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) on Thursday raised concern over the recent wave of flight cancellations across the country, stating that the situation highlights the need for the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to consider pilot adequacy while approving airline schedules under the Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) framework.

ALPA added, "The situation concerning the recent flight cancellations across India, allegedly attributed to pilot shortage due to new Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) norms, raises significant questions about the airline's management, regulatory oversight by the DGCA, and market fairness".

IndiGo has cancelled over 180 flights from three major airports on Thursday, as the Gurugram-based airline struggled to secure the required crew to operate its flights in the wake of new flight-duty and rest-period norms for pilots.

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