IndiGo flight chaos triggers massive passenger distress at city airport
The Statesman | 6 December 2025
Flight disruptions by IndiGo have triggered widespread passenger distress across major airports in the country, with Kolkata witnessing the brunt of the crisis over the past three days.
Protests broke out at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on Friday as hundreds of stranded flyers vented their anger over repeated delays and cancellations by the country’s largest airline. According to official data available till 9 a.m. on Friday, IndiGo recorded 320 delayed departures and 92 cancellations between December 3 and 5. Of the 468 scheduled arrivals and departures involving the airline at Kolkata Airport during this period, a substantial portion was thrown off schedule, paralysing routine operations. Passengers were seen standing in serpentine queues, crowding boarding counters and waiting for hours without clarity on their travel plans. Airport officials cited staff shortage, coupled with severe operational pressure, as key factors behind the disruption.
Social media platforms were flooded with complaints from irate passengers who accused the airline of poor communication and lack of preparedness to handle the crisis. The situation escalated further on Friday morning when IndiGo announced an unprecedented shutdown of all departures from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport till 11.59 p.m. Citing “escalating operational disarray”, the airline informed passengers from afternoon onwards that all outbound flights from the national capital stood suspended. IndiGo typically operates around 235 outbound flights daily from Delhi, and the mass cancellation created near-total paralysis at IGI Airport. Passengers were left stranded with no immediate alternatives, forcing many to abandon or reschedule their travel plans.
Friday marked the third consecutive day of the airline’s nationwide operational crisis. More than 600 flights were cancelled across India during the day, in addition to over 550 cancellations on Thursday, severely impacting movement through major hubs including Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Airports reported large crowds, rising tempers and mounting uncertainty as travellers scrambled for refunds, rebooking or alternative arrangements. Airport authorities and the airline are in continuous communication to restore normal operations. However, with the crisis spreading across multiple metro airports and affecting thousands of passengers, full normalisation is expected to take time.