IndiGo to provide hotels, meals and full refunds for passengers hit by flight cancellations
IndiGo has launched an extensive support system for travellers on Friday after widespread IndiGo flight cancellations disrupted operations across the country. The airline confirmed that all IndiGo domestic flights departing from Delhi on December 5, 2025, have been cancelled due to a mix of operational constraints, FDTL-linked crew shortages and challenging weather conditions.
IndiGo said it is offering refreshments, hotel accommodation, rebooking assistance, baggage retrieval support and full refunds to passengers stranded at Delhi Airport.
“We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused,” the airline spokesperson said, urging travellers to check their IndiGo flight status, or approach airport ground staff for help. Passengers can also claim refunds through the airline’s portal.
The cancellations have severely impacted Delhi–Mumbai flights, one of India’s busiest routes, leaving thousands of passengers searching for alternative options.
Why are IndiGo flights getting cancelled? DGCA explains
As social media flooded with queries such as “Why are IndiGo flights cancelled today?”, “What happened to IndiGo flights?”, and “Why are flights getting cancelled?”, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a formal statement.
DGCA chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai said the aviation ecosystem is under stress due to revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms, inadequate rostering and planning ahead of the new regulations, rising seasonal demand, unpredictable winter weather in North India.
He appealed for cooperation from pilots, airline managements and associations to stabilise the situation and reduce avoidable delays.
The DGCA also reaffirmed that it is committed to enforcing FDTL rules “in letter and spirit,” rejecting speculation about relaxing norms to ease the pressure on airlines.
What DGCA later did- amends flight duty norms
In a statement, the DGCA referred to its earlier letter, which had stipulated that "no leave shall be substituted for weekly rest." The regulator cited ongoing operational disruptions and requests from various airlines to ensure continuity and stability of flight operations as reasons for revising the rule.
"Whereas, reference is invited to the above-mentioned letter, specifically to the paragraph stipulating that "no Ieave shall be substituted for weekly rest"; and whereas, in view of the ongoing operational disruptions and representations received from various airlines regarding the need to ensure continuity and stability of operations, it has been considered necessary to review the said provision," the statement read.
"Now, therefore, the instruction contained in the referenced paragraph that no leave shall be substituted for weekly rest is hereby withdrawn with immediate effect," the statement read, adding that the decision has been issued with the approval of the Competent Authority.