IndiGo: India’s largest airline – IndiGo – is facing severe turbulence not in the skies but in its cockpit. A group of pilots have blamed the top management fully for the ongoing flight cancellation fiasco.
What Went Wrong With IndiGo?
The group of pilots cited “a systematic collapse of ethics and safety” at the heart of IndiGo’s so-called management. The letter, which has now widely being circulated among social media and aviation circles, alleges that domestic and foreign executives at the top level have been pushing crew members beyond legal and mental limits while blindly chasing profits.
It was further claimed that the airline’s day-to-day operations are dangerously understaffed with both flight crews and ground staff stretched to their breaking point.
IndiGo Flight Cancellations
In December 2025 alone, more than 500 flights have been cancelled due to poor planning, crew fatigue and rostering chaos. In a repair mode, the airline offered to issue full refunds for all cancellations between December 5 to 15, 2025. It also announced accommodations, buses and taxis in addition to meals for stranded passengers.
The letter also alleges that ground employees earn as little as Rs. 18000 per month while working in shifts of 12-14 hours. In contrast, pilots are flying illegally beyond extended hours, sometimes even for more than 14 hours a day. This seriously violates DGCA’s fatigue limits while severely endangering both flying crew and passengers.
These serious allegations against IndiGo severely dent the airline’s impeccable reputation for efficiency and punctuality. Aviation experts have warned for long that fatigue-related safety lapses are no longer hypothetical.
The letter has sparked widespread debates in political circles, social media and aviation industry about the safety and future of India’s skies.
