What is the story about?
India’s aviation sector has spent almost a week in turmoil as IndiGo faced severe nationwide disruptions, leading to mass cancellations, stranded passengers
and strong regulatory action. As the system works to recover, Air India has stepped in with fare caps and a one-time waiver to ease travel stress for affected fliers. Here’s everything travellers need to know before planning their next flight.
IndiGo’s Nationwide Crisis: What Went Wrong & Where Things Stand
After six days of operational chaos, IndiGo says it has now restored over 95% of its network, scaling up from around 700 flights on Saturday to more than 1,500 flights on Sunday. The airline reconnected 135 of its 138 destinations and described Saturday’s drastic cutback as a planned “reboot” to stabilise rosters and systems.However, the recovery is far from complete. IndiGo admitted it has “a long way to go” and apologised to passengers after thousands were stranded at airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Guwahati and others. Travellers reported long queues, last-minute cancellations and limited support at terminals.
The crisis has triggered political and regulatory attention. Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram criticised the situation as a “massive failure” involving IndiGo, the Civil Aviation Ministry and the DGCA. The DGCA has issued show-cause notices to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and Accountable Manager Isidro Porqueras, citing “significant lapses in planning, oversight and resource management.”
IndiGo says cancellations dropped to below 850 on Saturday, down from more than 1,000 on Friday. But Hyderabad remained one of the worst affected cities, with 115 arrivals and departures cancelled, affecting thousands of travellers.
Air India Steps In: Fare Caps And Free Changes for Domestic Travellers
As IndiGo’s meltdown pushed up airfares nationwide, Air India and Air India Express rolled out passenger-relief measures to stabilise prices and reduce stress for fliers.1. Temporary Airfare Caps
Following instructions from the Civil Aviation Ministry, Air India has capped domestic economy fares between: ₹7,500 and ₹18,000 (sector-wise variation). This applies on non-stop domestic routes, excluding business class. Air India says it implemented this proactively from 4 December to keep automated pricing systems from spiking fares.
2. One-Time Waiver on Changes and Cancellations
To support travellers caught in the disruptions, Air India is offering a full waiver on change and cancellation fees.
Who is eligible?
Travellers who booked Air India or Air India Express domestic tickets up to 4 December for travel until 15 December 2025.
What’s included?
- Free rescheduling to a later date (within ticket validity)
- Full cancellation with no penalty
- Waiver valid for changes made up to 8 December 2025
- Any difference in fare at the time of rebooking will still apply
What This Means For Travellers Planning Their Next Flight
- Check your IndiGo flight status frequently, especially if flying from major hubs like Hyderabad, where cancellations were highest.
- Expect lingering delays, long queues and possible last-minute schedule changes while IndiGo stabilises its rosters.
- If your travel dates are flexible, Air India’s fare caps and free rescheduling may help lower costs and reduce uncertainty.
- Passengers whose plans have been disrupted can change or cancel Air India tickets without fees until 8 December 2025.
- For urgent travel, consider booking across multiple carriers or choosing routes with historically higher on-time performance.
IndiGo Flight Cancellations: How To Check IndiGo Flight PNR Status Online And On The App Amid Massive Delays
How to Check IndiGo Flight Status On The WebsiteStep 1: Visit IndiGo’s official website: goindigo.in or goindigo.com.
Step 2: On the homepage, select the ‘Trips’ option on the top menu and then click on ‘Flight Status’.
Step 3: Once the Flight Tracker page loads, enter either your flight number or PNR.
Step 4: Fill in your departure and arrival airports, and choose your travel date from the calendar.
Step 5: Click on ‘Search Flight’.
Step 6: Your flight’s live status will appear instantly.
The tracker will show whether your flight is On Time, Delayed, Departed, Landed, or Cancelled.
Delayed flights are typically highlighted for easier visibility. You will also see:
Scheduled and updated departure/arrival timings
Terminal and gate information (if applicable)
Refreshing the page frequently will help you stay updated as IndiGo continues to adjust schedules in real time.
How To Check Your IndiGo Flight Status On The Mobile App
Step 1: Download the official IndiGo app from the Google Play Store (Android) or the Apple App Store (iOS).
Step 2: Grant basic permissions when prompted.
Step 3: Tap ‘Flight Status’ from the home screen or bottom navigation bar.
Step 4: Enter your flight number and date, or choose your origin and destination cities along with your date of travel.
Step 5: Select ‘Search’ or ‘Check Status’.
The app will display live departure and arrival details, revised timings, and gate or terminal updates where available. It also clearly flags delayed or cancelled flights.
If you’re logged into the app, make sure notifications are enabled so you receive instant alerts about schedule changes or disruptions.
