Hyderabad: Chaos continued at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) on Thursday as IndiGo flights faced widespread disruptions, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. For the second consecutive day, IndiGo flight cancellations have triggered long queues, confusion, and frustration at the airport.

According to Hyderabad airport officials, 68 IndiGo flights were cancelled on Thursday, including 35 arrivals and 33 departures. The disruption is significantly higher than on Wednesday (December 3), when IndiGo flight cancellations numbered 31, already causing extended waiting times and operational challenges.

Passengers reported prolonged delays alongside the cancellations, citing lack of reliable updates on revised schedules or alternative arrangements. Many turned to social media to express their frustration, with videos showing heated exchanges between passengers and IndiGo airlines staff.

Why has IndiGo cancelled so many flights?

In a statement issued on Wednesday evening, IndiGo attributed the disruptions to a “multitude of unforeseen operational challenges,” including minor technology glitches, winter-season schedule adjustments, adverse weather, increased aviation congestion, and updated Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) for crew. The airline said these factors had a compounding effect that was difficult to anticipate.

To restore normalcy, IndiGo announced a calibrated adjustment of its flight schedules over the next 48 hours to progressively stabilise operations and recover punctuality. “Our teams are working around the clock to ease customer discomfort and ensure operations stabilise as quickly as possible. Affected passengers are being offered alternate travel arrangements or refunds, as applicable,” the airline added.

How are passengers coping with the disruption?

Several passengers described being stranded for hours. A user wrote on X, “Indigo has created a mess at Delhi airport. Multiple flights are cancelled. People heading for weddings, medical appointments etc are stuck. Customer support has a 20 minute wait time. After multiple cancellations I finally boarded and now the flight has been sitting on the runway for an hour because the cabin crew was left behind and we’re waiting for her to reach.”

Social media posts highlighted growing passenger anger, with one video showing passengers confronting IndiGo flight staff at a boarding gate. Another user wrote, “6.15 am nearly 12 hours from scheduled departure and @IndiGo6E is still at its shitty best, sending SMS pushing delays by one hour and two hours, again and again”.

What is the regulator’s response to IndiGo flight delays?

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed it is examining the situation and has demanded a detailed explanation from IndiGo airlines.

The regulator noted a sharp decline in IndiGo’s on-time performance — 67.7% in November, down from 84.1% in October — and highlighted that IndiGo flight cancellations in November totaled 1,232, with the majority linked to crew/FDTL constraints and airport or airspace restrictions.