IndiGo CEO praised airline’s “reliability” days before mass flight cancellations

IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers, praised the handling of the global Airbus software update by the IndiGo team, just days before the crisis. In a LinkedIn post which was posted five days ago, Elbers praised his teams for operational resilience in handling the Airbus software update, highlighting that 195 out of 200 affected aircraft were updated with minimal delays and no cancellations. His message underscored the airline’s ability to maintain operations under pressure.

Within 5 days, IndiGo is suffering major operational disruptions due to new pilot rest and duty-hour norms implemented by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation from November 1. The norms capped landings between midnight and 6 am and increased weekly rest requirements, straining the airline’s pilot roster.

Also read | IndiGo cancels hundreds of flights: How to apply for refund, rebooking and Plan B

What IndiGo CEO said:

Five days ago, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers posted in LinkedIn praising the phenomenal work done by the IndiGo Engineering & OCC teams while handling the mandatory software update by Airbus within 24 hours.



Peter Elbers' LinkedIn Post:

IndiGo (InterGlobe Aviation Ltd), being "world’s largest Airbus A320 operator", ensured ‘highest standards of safety and reliability," said Elbers in his post. He also mentioned that the 195 planes out of 200 were affected because of the Airbus notification but were handled with “zero cancellation and just a handful of delays.”

What caused the IndiGo flight crisis:

Over the past few days, nearly 1,000 flights of IndiGo were cancelled. Flight Duty Time Limitations or FDTL were effective from 1 November. These rules — introduced by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) — reduce allowable night landings and mandate longer rest periods for crew. For a high‑frequency, night‑heavy operator like IndiGo, the impact was severe: crew availability plunged, leading to widespread flight cancellations.

Beyond crew shortages, other factors compounded the disruption: technical glitches at major airports, congested winter‑season schedules, weather delays, and airport/airspace constraints.

IndiGo flight cancellations, delays and chaos

On Friday alone, more than 400 flights were grounded across major airports. On‑time performance plunged: at some hubs, only a small fraction of flights departed as scheduled. The disruption has left thousands of passengers stranded, scrambling for alternate travel or refunds.

Airports across the country have witnessed long queues, stranded travellers, and mounting frustration. Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and other metro airports have borne the brunt of the chaos.