Monday, March 9
An **IndiGo long-haul flight from London Heathrow Airport to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport was diverted to Cairo International Airport after the operating crew reached their permitted duty hour limits, according to reports citing ANI and passenger updates.
Flight 6E002, which departed London for Mumbai on March 8, 2026, was unable to complete its journey due to Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) regulations. These aviation safety rules restrict how long pilots and cabin crew can remain on duty in order to prevent fatigue.
Diversion due to crew duty time restrictions
Sources indicated that the crew either reached or were close to exceeding their allowable duty hours, forcing the aircraft to land at Cairo instead of continuing to Mumbai.
Operational factors such as flight routing, potential delays, or longer travel time — possibly influenced by airspace considerations — may have contributed to the crew nearing the regulatory duty limit.
FDTL regulations are strictly enforced across international aviation to ensure safe flight operations and adequate crew rest.
Passengers accommodated in Cairo
After the diversion, IndiGo arranged hotel accommodation and temporary visas for passengers in Cairo, allowing them to stay in the city while the airline arranged the continuation of the journey.
The flight is expected to resume operations on March 10, 2026, once the crew completes the mandatory rest period required under aviation safety rules.
Today’s London–Mumbai flight operating as scheduled
Meanwhile, the March 9 scheduled flight on the London–Mumbai route is currently listed as operating normally.
Flight tracking data shows the departure from Heathrow scheduled around 21:30 GMT from Terminal 3, with expected arrival in Mumbai at approximately 12:55 IST on March 10.
The service is being operated using a **Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft that IndiGo wet-leases from Norse Atlantic Airways.
Part of IndiGo’s long-haul expansion
The London Heathrow–Mumbai route was launched in late 2025 as part of IndiGo’s strategy to expand into long-haul international operations.
There have been no reports of any technical, safety, or security incidents related to the diversion. The stop in Cairo was purely due to crew duty time limitations under international aviation regulations.