IndiGo’s nationwide travel disruption escalated sharply on Sunday, with more than 220 flights cancelled across Delhi and Mumbai, prolonging the airline’s unprecedented operational meltdown into a sixth consecutive day. Terminals were packed with frustrated passengers as cancellations and delays continued to spiral.

According to airport sources, 112 flights were scrapped in Mumbai and 109 in Delhi, compounding the chaos triggered earlier this week. The airline’s network has remained unstable since Friday, when IndiGo abruptly cancelled around 1,600 of its 2,300 daily flights—a blow the company described as a deliberate “reboot” to stabilise operations.

Cancellations eased slightly on Saturday to around 800, with the airline managing to operate 1,500 flights, yet normalcy remains far off.

Amid the deepening crisis, parent company InterGlobe Aviation announced the formation of a crisis management group to monitor and coordinate recovery efforts. “The Board is doing everything possible to ensure refunds for cancellations,” IndiGo said in a statement.

The turbulence intensified further as DGCA issued notices to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and COO Porqueras, demanding explanations within 24 hours for what the regulator called “significant lapses in planning, oversight and resource management.”

The DGCA pointed to failures in meeting revised requirements for the new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms, which it identified as the primary trigger behind the mass wipeout of flights.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu convened a “serious meeting” with the airline’s top leadership on Saturday, alongside senior ministry officials, to push for immediate restoration of services.

Officials said IndiGo has been instructed to comply with FDTL mandates and prioritise swift refunds. Reports suggest the government may consider strong punitive action depending on the inquiry’s findings.

A four-member DGCA inquiry committee has already been established to examine the causes of the collapse and recommend corrective steps. The panel—comprising senior officials including Joint DG Sanjay K Bramhane—will submit its report within 15 days, paving the way for regulatory enforcement and structural reforms.

To shield passengers from further distress, authorities have also capped airfares and directed IndiGo to complete all refunds for cancelled or delayed flights by 8 pm on Sunday.

With cancellations mounting and passenger anger rising across airports nationwide, India’s largest carrier faces one of the most serious operational crises in its history—one that shows only faint signs of easing.