IndiGo Or ItDidNotGo Why Are So Many Flights Getting Cancelled
✈️ IndiGo Or ItDidNotGo: Why Are So Many Flights Getting Cancelled?
Is It Politics, Monopoly — or Something Bigger?
Over the past few weeks, Passengers across India have faced a surge in unexpected Flight cancellations, especially from IndiGo and several private Air charter Operators. Social media is full of Angry posts, last-minute cancellations, and commuters stranded at Airports. The obvious question everyone is asking:
Why are Flights suddenly getting cancelled in such high numbers?
Is it political pressure, monopoly issues, internal industry problems, or a mix of everything?
Let’s break down the real, behind-the-scenes reasons.
🛑 1. Acute Pilot & Crew Shortage — The Hidden Crisis
India’s aviation industry is growing faster than its talent pool.
IndiGo, being the largest Airline, is the worst hit because:
Too many Flights scheduled with too few pilots
Sudden sick leaves and mass leave applications
High attrition — many pilots moving to international Airlines
Training backlogs for new Aircraft models like A321neo
When pilot rosters break, entire route schedules collapse, leading to chain-reaction cancellations.
This alone has been a major contributor.
⚙️ 2. Engine & Aircraft Grounding Issues
IndiGo’s fleet heavily uses Pratt & Whitney engines, which have faced recurring technical problems over the last two years.
As a result:
Dozens of Aircraft remain grounded for weeks
Spare parts shortages delay repAirs
Airlines are forced to reduce daily Flight Operations
This is not a political issue — it is purely Operational and technical.
💰 3. Monopoly Pressure? Yes — But Indirectly
IndiGo controls close to 60% of India’s domestic market.
This level of dominance creates several challenges:
Heavy reliance on one Airline means disruptions hit the whole country
Smaller Airlines cannot absorb extra Passengers when IndiGo cancels
Limited competition means fewer alternate options for travelers
But is IndiGo intentionally cancelling Flights?
No evidence suggests so.
However, when one Airline becomes too big, the entire market becomes fragile.
🧩 4. Political Angle? Only Partially.
Politics may not be the main cause, but it influences the environment:
Airport slot allocations
Prioritizing certain routes
Pressure to Operate unprofitable regional Flights
Government regulations on crew duty hours, safety, and pricing
Sometimes, political expectations and market realities clash.
This indirectly leads to schedule changes or cancellations.
But no major political conspiracy is proven behind the recent events.
💼 5. Rising Costs & Financial Stress on Smaller Air Charters
Air charter Operators are facing their own battle:
High fuel prices
Increased lease rates
Mandatory safety upgrades
Lower tourism demand in off-season
Dependency on VIP travel and election-season bookings
When demand suddenly dips, charter Operators cancel Flights to avoid loss.
Some companies are also restructuring internally, causing service disruptions.
🧨 6. Over-Scheduling: Too Many Flights, Not Enough Support
To maximize profits during peak travel seasons, Airlines often:
Schedule more Flights than they can manage
Delay maintenance to fit tight timelines
Stretch pilot duty hours close to regulatory limits
One small Operational hiccup can trigger widespread delays and cancellations.
🔍 So, What’s the REAL Reason?
It’s not just one cause.
The cancellations are a perfect storm of:
✔ Pilot shortages
✔ Technical/engine issues
✔ Market monopoly fragility
✔ High Operational costs
✔ Over-scheduling
✔ Political & regulatory pressure (indirectly)
In simple words:
India’s aviation system is running at full capacity — and even a small imbalance is creating big disruptions.
✨ Not Politics Alone — It’s an Industry at Breaking Point
While politics and monopoly play a background role, the main causes are Operational and structural. IndiGo and Air charter Operators are struggling with:
Staff shortages
Grounded Aircraft
Cost pressures
Over-ambitious scheduling
Unless Airlines hire more pilots, expand maintenance capacity, and balance their fleet better, such cancellations will continue.
India's aviation boom is exciting — but stability must grow at the same pace as expansion.
Shrishty Sharma
HR Head/ Author
Asiatic International Corp
Shrishty@Flying-Crews.com
Shrishty@Air-aviator.com
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