Travellers across the country found themselves stuck in long queues, staring at flight information boards that barely moved. The reason? A huge wave of delays and cancellations by IndiGo, the country’s biggest airline. The mess grew so large that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had to step in and start digging into what triggered this chain of problems and how it got out of control so quickly.

IndiGo normally enjoys a reputation for being punctual and well-organised, especially since it holds over 60% of India’s domestic flight market. But the last few days told a very different story. More than 150 flights were reportedly cancelled in a single day, and several others were pushed back for hours. Crowds built up at airports, tempers rose, and both passengers and authorities demanded answers.

The DGCA soon confirmed that it had asked IndiGo for a complete explanation. The regulator wants to know why such a massive breakdown happened and whether the airline did everything it could to reduce passenger inconvenience. Officials are also checking how the situation was handled and if proper procedures were followed during the chaos.

For an airline with a massive network like IndiGo, even minor hiccups during busy hours can quickly spread across the entire schedule.

In its official communication, the DGCA said it is closely reviewing IndiGo’s internal systems, especially how prepared the airline was for operational changes. The government wants a clear, step-by-step plan from the airline showing how it will improve crew availability, stabilise its schedule, and avoid similar disruptions in the immediate future.

In response, IndiGo has said it will temporarily scale back its flights for the next couple of days. This “calibrated slowdown,” as the airline calls it, is meant to give breathing room to its scheduling teams so they can realign crew positions, reduce delays, and ease the load on airports. While this may inconvenience some travellers now, the airline believes it will help return things to normal more quickly.

Experts say that when an airline as large as IndiGo hits trouble, the entire aviation system feels the shock. Smaller carriers can absorb disruptions more easily, but when a market leader slips, everything from runway timings to staffing schedules across the country comes under stress.

Industry watchers feel this incident could push airlines to invest in better crew-management technology, stronger backup systems, and more transparent passenger communication.

Everyone in the sector—airport officials, regulators, and airlines—is hoping that IndiGo’s temporary schedule changes will quickly bring things back under control. With the busy holiday and year-end travel season approaching, the pressure to avoid more chaos is higher than ever.