Several IndiGo Flights Delayed Due To Crew Shortages

A Saturday to forget for IndiGo.


Photo by Simple Flying

On July 2nd, more than half of IndiGo’s flights were delayed due to a shortage of cabin crew to sustain operations. India’s largest airline reported just 45.2% of flights running on time. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has sought an explanation from the airline for reporting such abysmal figures. Let’s investigate further.

Read more:  After criticism, Spirit, Frontier amend merger deal to include break-up fee

More than half of daily flights delayed

IndiGo found itself short of cabin crew to operate flights on Saturday as several employees called in sick. As a result, less than half of all IndiGo flights on July 2nd were delayed, some by a lot. IndiGo, which is also India’s largest airline, operates approximately 1,600 flights daily using an active fleet of more than 250 narrowbody aircraft. Out of these, around 900 flights were affected.

On July 2nd, more than half of IndiGo’s flights were delayed due to a shortage of cabin crew to sustain operations. India’s largest airline reported just 45.2% of flights running on time. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has sought an explanation from the airline for reporting such abysmal figures. Let’s investigate further.

More than half of daily flights delayed

IndiGo found itself short of cabin crew to operate flights on Saturday as several employees called in sick. As a result, less than half of all IndiGo flights on July 2nd were delayed, some by a lot. IndiGo, which is also India’s largest airline, operates approximately 1,600 flights daily using an active fleet of more than 250 narrowbody aircraft. Out of these, around 900 flights were affected.

In India, the Tata Group is known for taking good care of employees and providing favorable employment conditions across all business sectors, so the rush for a job at Air India isn’t surprising. Saturday saw AI conducting the second phase of its recruitment drive. Earlier, the carrier was also hiring pilots for its Airbus A320 family of planes. In addition, the new owners have also shown interest in acquiring the Airbus A350 widebody jets to further expand operations in the coming years.

Much better Sunday

While Saturday was a nightmare for IndiGo, Sunday saw much better numbers in terms of on-time performance. Data from the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation shows IndiGo bounced back to 71.8% on-time flights, a strong recovery but still significantly behind competitors. In comparison, Air India stood at 86.4%, SpiceJet at 90.1%, Vistara at 93.3%, AirAsia India at 95.6%, and finally Go First at an impressive 97%.

Similarly, other airlines seemed to be unaffected by the carnage at IndiGo on Saturday. Data from July 2nd places AirAsia India at the top with 92.3% on-time flights, followed by Go First at 88%, Vistara at 86.3%, SpiceJet at 80.4%, and Air India at 77.1%.

DGCA seeks explanation

Saturday’s lack of crew members on IndiGo flights meant severe disruptions for its passengers. Naturally, India’s aviation watchdog has stepped in and asked for an explanation from the airline. So far, IndiGo hasn’t made an official statement on the matter.

Simple Flying has also written to IndiGo seeking more details on the matter. This article will be updated as and when a response is received from the airline.