IndiGo's Mumbai operations hit by glitch, 905 flights cancelled, 1,475 delayed

IndiGo experienced significant operational disruptions between December 1st and 8th, leading to the cancellation of 905 flights and the delay of 1,475 flights by more than 30 minutes. A technical glitch was cited as the primary cause for the widespread inconvenience, which affected over 2.6 lakh passengers across India, particularly those departing from Mumbai Airport. Data revealed that 40,789 passengers faced cancellations, while 266,567 experienced delayed departures from Mumbai during this eight-day period.

In response to the widespread issues, the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation ordered senior officials to conduct inspections at 10 major airports nationwide, including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai. Madhusudan Shankar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation, confirmed that IndiGo is now required to inform passengers about flight cancellations at least six hours before scheduled departure. Inspections covered cargo and baggage handling areas, with officials noting significant improvements in the situation.

The operational pressures peaked on December 4th and 5th, with cancellations surging to 295 on December 5th and delays reaching 281 on December 3rd. During the affected period, IndiGo operated only 2,266 out of its 3,171 scheduled flights from Mumbai. Additionally, approximately 780 checked-in bags from cancelled flights were pending delivery, with 90 percent expected to reach passengers by the following Wednesday. Domestic routes from Mumbai most affected included those to Ahmedabad, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Cochin, Goa, and Lucknow.