India’s largest airline, IndiGo, has begun steadily resuming operations after a day of unprecedented nationwide disruptions that triggered mass cancellations, long delays, and severe airport congestion across major cities.
The disruption on Friday, December 5, marked one of the biggest aviation breakdowns in recent years, caused by a combination of acute crew shortages, revised pilot duty-time regulations, and seasonal weather pressure. More than 500 flights were affected, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad.
Passenger Advisory issued at 2350 Hours#DelhiAirport #PassengerAdvisory #DELAdvisory pic.twitter.com/UvzliwSh4t
— Delhi Airport (@DelhiAirport) December 5, 2025
Home Minister Amit Shah seeks update as crisis widens
With frustration escalating at airports, Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the situation and spoke to Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu on Friday morning. Shah sought clarity on flight readiness, passenger assistance, and urgent steps being taken to stabilise the network.
A Delhi MP also wrote to the Civil Aviation Minister, urging the government to ensure compensation for passengers affected by the airline’s failure to manage duty rosters and staffing disruptions.
Delhi Airport issues new advisory: IndiGo operations resuming gradually
Hours after the chaos, Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) issued a fresh passenger advisory confirming that IndiGo operations are now recovering:
“We are glad to update that IndiGo flight operations are now steadily resuming and getting back to normalcy following the brief disruption. Please check the status of your booking and flight before leaving from home.”
The advisory also urged passengers of all airlines to verify real-time schedules on www.newdelhiairport.in
before arriving at the terminal.
The situation so far
Massive cancellations were reported nationwide, with Delhi and Mumbai facing the highest traffic impact.
Long queues formed at terminal gates as last-minute delays left passengers without updates.
IndiGo has stated that normalcy will return gradually, and has urged passengers to check booking updates regularly.
The airline is still in the process of restoring its full schedule, but early signs indicate improving stability as crew availability normalises and operational adjustments take effect.
