IndiGo crisis deepens: At 8.5%, airline’s on-time performance hits record low on Friday
IndiGo’s operational problems worsened on Friday, with its on-time performance at six major metro airports falling to 8.5%, according to data released by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. This collapse added to the disruption that extended for a fourth consecutive day. PTI quoted sources as saying that the airline stopped all flights from Chennai till 6 pm, while flights from Delhi Airport were suspended till midnight.
IndiGo’s on-time performance, which has long pegged punctuality as one of its defining strengths, fell sharply to 19.7% on Wednesday, from 35% on Tuesday, signaling a deepening operational crisis.
On Thursday, Air India and Air India Express reported OTP figures of 61% and 58.6% respectively, while Akasa Air recorded 63%. SpiceJet and state-run Alliance Air recorded OTPs of 56.4% and 56%.
The CAP metric is measured at six major airports – Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata.
Meanwhile, shares of IndiGo, partly owned by promoter Rahul Bhatia, fell nearly 3%. ₹It was at 5,291.45 in Friday afternoon trade on BSE.
Why did conditions worsen overnight?
The crisis deepened just a day after IndiGo canceled more than 550 domestic and international flights, well beyond usual levels of inconvenience. Since then, terminals across the country have been overwhelmed; passengers claimed they were stranded for long hours without access to updates, basic amenities, food, water or functioning utility meters. Delays exceeding 12 hours increased congestion at airports such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad and Goa.
PTI reported that Friday’s cancellations exceeded 400. These include 118 flights from Mumbai, 100 from Bengaluru, 75 from Hyderabad, 35 from Kolkata, 26 from Chennai and 11 from Goa, while some other airports also experienced significant disruptions. Passengers continued to queue for hours trying to find rebooking options or lost luggage, while many were unsure when they would be able to fly.
While IndiGo handles around 65% of India’s domestic traffic, the paralysis has started to spread to other carriers. Higher prices, reduced number of seats and cramped terminals have become commonplace, affecting even those flying with rival airlines.
What did the DGCA order IndiGo to do?
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation intervened, ordering the airline to submit a detailed recovery roadmap covering pilot recruitment, training timelines, changes in crew rosters and safety assessments.
The regulator also mandated the publication of a progress report every two weeks.
What timeline has IndiGo given for recovery?
The airline informed the DGCA that “normalized and stable operations will be fully restored by February 10, 2026.” IndiGo currently operates a fleet of 400+ aircraft, operates 2,300+ flights per day, connects to 90+ domestic and 45 international destinations, and has carried 118 million passengers in FY25. It was also recently awarded “Best Airline in India and South Asia” at the 2025 Skytrax Awards.
(With input from the news agency)
