DGCA orders IndiGo to cut flight schedule by 5% amid operational crisis

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday directed IndiGo to reduce its flight schedule by 5 per cent across all sectors, as the country’s largest airline continues to grapple with widespread operational disruptions. The regulator also instructed IndiGo to submit its revised schedule by 5 pm on Wednesday, marking another escalation in the government’s response to the crisis.In a letter issued to the airline, the aviation watchdog said IndiGo had failed to demonstrate the ability to operate its approved winter schedule efficiently. “IndiGo has not demonstrated the ability to operate its schedules efficiently. It is directed to reduce the schedule by 5% across sectors. IndiGo is required to submit a revised schedule by 5 pm on 10th December,” the DGCA stated.
According to the regulator, IndiGo was approved 15,014 departures per week for the Winter Schedule 2025, amounting to 64,346 flights for November 2025. However, the airline was able to operate only 59,438 flights during the month, falling short of approved levels and cancelling 951 flights.The DGCA also highlighted concerns regarding aircraft deployment. IndiGo was permitted to enhance its schedule by 6 per cent, based on a planned fleet of 403 aircraft for Winter 2025, compared to 351 aircraft in Summer 2025. Despite this, the airline operated only 339 aircraft in October and 344 aircraft in November, indicating its inability to meet scheduled commitments.“IndiGo has increased its departures by 9.66% compared to Winter Schedule 2024 and by 6.05% compared to Summer Schedule 2025,” the regulator noted, while underscoring that the airline still struggled to manage the expanded operations.The 5 per cent cut comes amid mounting pressure on IndiGo, which has already faced scrutiny from both the Civil Aviation Ministry and Parliament over large-scale cancellations, delays, and passenger inconvenience in recent weeks. The revised schedule directive adds to growing measures aimed at stabilising operations and ensuring airlines operate within their capacity.