Over 50 flights grounded on December 27 as dense haze hits northern airports, with aviation panel highlighting planning failures.
IndiGo Airlines cancelled more than 50 flights on December 27, 2025, primarily at Delhi and Lucknow hubs, due to persistent winter fog reducing visibility below 200 meters. The disruptions, part of a week-long pattern, stranded thousands, with Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport reporting 30% delays.
A Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) panel submitted its confidential report to the regulator, pinpointing "operational planning failures" behind December's chaos—over 1,600 cancellations on peak days. IndiGo, India's largest carrier with 60% market share, faced 170-200 daily axings from December 15, exacerbated by crew shortages and fog.
Affected routes included Ahmedabad-Hydrabad (6E 2567) and Pune-Bhopal (6E 257), per the airline's status page. Passengers at Jaipur endured hours on tarmac, prompting compensation claims under DGCA norms—full refunds or rebookings within seven days.
The Economic Times noted 44 cancellations on December 26, with 15 more projected for Saturday, amid northern India's cold wave. IndiGo urged status checks via app, offering vouchers for inconveniences. Broader aviation woes: 2025's fog season, worsened by climate shifts, cut on-time performance to 65% from 80% last year.
Government scrutiny intensifies, with potential fines post-report. For 150 million annual passengers, this tests resilience in a Rs 1.5 lakh crore sector growing 12% YoY. Alternatives like trains saw 10% booking spikes.
