E-Paper
In first month of crew rest rules, 269,000 flyers hit by operation disruptions
Delays beyond 2 hours accounted for the largest share, affecting 156,000 passengers, though this represented a decline in absolute numbers over previous year
More than 269,000 domestic air passengers were affected by denied boarding, flight cancellations and delays beyond two hours in November, the first full month after stricter pilot fatigue rules took effect. Disruptions increased from around 255,000 passengers affected in November 2024, data submitted by airlines to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) showed.
Delays beyond two hours accounted for the largest share, affecting 156,000 passengers, though this represented a decline in absolute numbers compared with the previous year. Flight cancellations impacted 112,000 passengers — a more than fourfold increase from fewer than 27,000 in November 2024.
Denied boarding cases affected 830 passengers, down significantly from 3,539 the previous year, indicating improved capacity and booking management.
Compared to the 2024-25 winter schedule, Indian airlines were allowed by the DGCA to operate 5.95% more flights during the same period this year for a total of 26,495 flights per week. Of this, IndiGo received approval for 15,014 flights per week or 2,144 flights per day.
The DGCA data does not directly attribute disruptions to the revised flight duty time limitations, implemented in phases through July and November, though airlines were adjusting flight schedules, aircraft utilisation and crew planning to comply with stricter limits on pilot duty hours and mandatory rest periods.
IndiGo reported the highest number of delayed passengers at 75,150, followed by the Air India group (46,323) and SpiceJet (26,241), reflecting the operational strain on large domestic networks. IndiGo alone accounted for nearly 90,000 passengers impacted by cancellations, while the Air India group reported 12,488. Other carriers, including Akasa Air, SpiceJet and regional airlines, accounted for the remaining cases.
IndiGo is the largest airline, with an 63% market share.
While the year-on-year increase in affected passengers was modest, the financial burden on airlines rose sharply. Facilitation and compensation costs jumped from ₹60.6 crore in November 2024 to over ₹321 crore in November 2025. The increase reflects higher per-passenger costs, expanded facilities and stricter compliance with passenger rights norms.
Airlines provided refreshments, meals, transport assistance and, in some cases, alternate flights to affected passengers. For cancellations, airlines offered refunds, rebooking and alternate flights, along with accommodation and transport where required.
Denied boarding incidents, though limited in volume, resulted in significant compensation payouts. Airlines collectively spent over ₹70 crore on accommodation, meals, alternate flights and monetary compensation across 830 cases. The Air India group accounted for the bulk of these at 639 passengers, followed by SpiceJet, IndiGo and Akasa Air.
