Bengaluru: India moved to cap domestic airfares after massive flight disruptions at IndiGo triggered passenger chaos at airports in Mumbai and Bengaluru.
The country’s largest airline has been cancelling flights in the hundreds due to a severe pilot shortage, leaving thousands stranded and forcing the government to step in to control fares and ease travel pressure.
IndiGo has cancelled thousands of flights this week after failing to prepare for new rules that limit pilots’ night flying hours and mandate longer rest periods. The airline, which controls more than 60 percent of India’s aviation market, admitted it did not plan properly for the November 1 deadline to implement the rules.
We are sorry 🙏 pic.twitter.com/8DmY2rJrjR
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 5, 2025
The crisis deepened on Friday, when more than 1,000 IndiGo flights were cancelled. Even with government relief and temporary exemptions from the new rules, the airline said its operations may only return to normal between December 10 and 15.
By Saturday, cancellations remained widespread: 124 flights were grounded in Bengaluru, 109 in Mumbai, 86 in New Delhi and 66 in Hyderabad, according to airport sources.
As IndiGo flights were scrapped across the country, ticket prices on other airlines surged sharply. To prevent overcharging, the government imposed fare caps: up to 7,500 rupees for trips under 500 km, and 15,000 rupees for routes between 1,000 and 1,500 km, including the busy New Delhi–Mumbai corridor. These limits were far below the 20,419-rupee price listed on Air India’s website for a Delhi–Mumbai flight on Saturday.
The Civil Aviation Ministry said it would keep monitoring real-time fare data and coordinate with airlines to maintain fare discipline. Similar caps were last imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Message from Pieter Elbers, CEO, IndiGo. pic.twitter.com/bXFdqoB0Q2
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 5, 2025
The crisis has caused chaos at airports, with hundreds of passengers crowding entry gates in Mumbai and Bengaluru. Many arrived without knowing their flights had been cancelled. Some travellers missed weddings and family events during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
Pilot unions have criticised the government’s decision to grant IndiGo temporary relief from key safety-related duty rules. The exemptions allow the airline to avoid restrictions on night landings and weekly rest periods until February 10.
Pilot groups argued that the rules were introduced to protect safety and should not be relaxed because of an airline’s poor planning. The Federation of Indian Pilots and the Airline Pilots Association of India both warned that operational pressure should not override safety standards. Other major carriers, including Air India and Akasa, have continued operations without major disruption under the same rules.
