IndiGo reports flight delays, cancellations due to tech issues, congestion

Civil aviation ministry data shows that IndiGo had an on-time performance of only 35 per cent on Tuesday, placing it among the lowest performers compared to its peers

Don't want to miss the best from Business Standard?

Low-cost carrier IndiGo faced widespread delays and several cancellations on Wednesday due to technology issues and airport congestion, news agency Reuters reported.

 

"Our teams are working diligently to ensure that operations normalise as soon as possible," an IndiGo spokesperson told Reuters, without giving details about the reasons behind the disruptions.

 

Citing data from Flightradar24, the report said that about 600 flights were delayed across Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru on Wednesday, with Delhi accounting for more than two-thirds of the delays.

 

In an X post, Delhi airport said, "Some domestic airlines are currently experiencing operational challenges, which may lead to delays or schedule changes. Our on-ground teams aré diligently working with all stakeholders to ensure a seamless and efficient passenger experience. Passengers are advised to contact their respective airlines for the latest flight updates."

 

Indigo’s OTP sees drastic dip

 

Civil aviation ministry data shows that IndiGo had an on-time performance of only 35 per cent on Tuesday, placing it among the lowest performers compared with SpiceJet (82.5 per cent), Akasa Air (73.2 per cent), and Air India (67.2 per cent). On-time performance (OTP) is a metric that measures how reliably a service completes its tasks or deliveries within the scheduled time.

 

IndiGo ended October with one of the best on-time performance numbers among its peers. The airline usually stays above 80 per cent at major airports like Delhi and Mumbai.

 

Disruptions on the rise

 

The latest disruptions follow last month’s air-traffic-control outage at Delhi airport, which caused major flight delays. On November 29, IndiGo and several other global airlines had to fix a software glitch on 200 Airbus A320 planes, which also disrupted the schedule.

 

IndiGo, with over 60 per cent of India’s domestic market, operates more than 2,200 flights daily and has been expanding internationally.

 

Peak holiday travel season

 

The disruptions come just before the peak holiday travel period. As reported earlier by Business Standard, travel platform Ixigo said travellers are already planning winter vacations, with flight searches for Srinagar jumping over 100 per cent month-on-month in December. Dehradun saw a 54 per cent rise and Jammu a 39 per cent rise in searches.