2,458 flights hit by regulatory, geopolitical issues: Govt tells LS

Airlines cancelled or rescheduled 2,458 flights due to regulatory and geopolitical issues this year, the civil aviation ministry told the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

In a written reply, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said airlines incur costs due to delays and cancellations, including additional fuel, crew overtime, maintenance, airport fees, and rebooking expenses.

Airlines are required to provide refunds or compensation to passengers for cancellations or significant delays.

"Passengers carried by domestic airlines during January-June 2025 registered a growth of 7.34 per cent as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year," the minister said.

This year, IndiGo and Air India cancelled or rescheduled 1,017 flights and 662 flights, respectively.

SpiceJet cancelled or rescheduled 334 flights while the count for Air India Express stood at 427 and in the case of Akasa Air, it was 18 flights, as per the data shared with the written reply.

These flights, totalling 2,458, were cancelled or rescheduled due to "regulatory issues and geopolitical issues," Mohol said.