IndiGo cancels eight flights from Nagpur as travellers face chaos

A wave of last minute IndiGo flight cancellations hit Nagpur on Monday, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport. The airline’s operational disruptions triggered long queues, delays in rebooking and rising frustration among travellers.

Nagpur airport passengers were met with confusion early in the morning as IndiGo, India’s largest airline by market share, cancelled eight flights across domestic routes. The cancellations created a ripple effect on connecting flights, same day business trips and holiday travel. The issue became a major talking point online as travellers shared videos of crowds waiting for updates.

Operational disruption and passenger impact at Nagpur airport
IndiGo stated that the cancellations resulted from an internal operational constraint, a phrase the airline has used in the past during network level disruptions. Passenger traffic at Nagpur has grown consistently in 2024 and 2025, making sudden cancellations more disruptive during peak hours. Airports that function as regional connectors feel the impact sharply because travellers often rely on single daily flights for certain sectors.

At Nagpur, several passengers reported that staff struggled to issue timely rebooking confirmations. With eight flights grounded, seat availability on alternate flights became limited. Travellers with medical appointments, connecting international flights and urgent work commitments were among those most affected.

Airline response and communication challenges for customers
The airline published an advisory asking passengers to check flight status before arriving at the airport. However, many reported that the cancellations were updated too close to the departure time, reducing their ability to adjust plans. Communication gaps during disruptions have been a recurring complaint in the aviation sector, particularly when network wide issues occur.

IndiGo’s customer support channels experienced long wait times through the morning. Passengers who attempted to rebook through the website and app reported intermittent errors. For some, refunds were offered immediately, but those needing same day travel had fewer options. With December being a high demand month, single day disruptions can lead to multi day spillover congestion on bookings.

Aviation sector strain and regulatory attention increasing
The incident comes at a time when Indian aviation operators are managing pilot availability, crew scheduling pressure and increased fleet utilisation. December typically sees strong passenger loads due to winter travel and year end holidays. Any internal scheduling issue during this period can trigger widespread cancellations.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has been monitoring airline operational reliability more closely this year. Repeated cancellations or extended delays can prompt a review of staffing, rostering processes and passenger handling mechanisms. While IndiGo holds a strong record for on time performance historically, the volume of grounded flights in a single city raised concerns among frequent travellers.

IndiGo has been expanding both domestic and international routes, placing additional demand on aircraft turnaround efficiency. Industry analysts note that high utilisation works well when operations run smoothly, but leaves little buffer during unexpected disruptions. The Nagpur cancellations highlighted this vulnerability clearly.

Local economic and travel implications for the region
Nagpur’s airport serves as a central hub for business travellers, students and cargo movement across central India. Disruptions of this scale affect hotels, local transport operators and business itineraries. Several passengers travelling to Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru missed scheduled meetings and had to reschedule commitments.

Travel agents in the city reported a surge in queries and urgent rebooking requests. With multiple airlines operating limited frequency during non peak hours, alternative seats were difficult to secure. The cancellations also impacted travellers arriving in Nagpur, as connecting legs had to be reassigned through different airports.

While operations gradually stabilised by late afternoon, the effect on customer confidence was visible. Many urged the airline to strengthen communication protocols and provide earlier alerts in the event of operational disruptions.

Takeaways
Multiple IndiGo flights from Nagpur were cancelled, affecting hundreds of passengers
Communication delays worsened rebooking challenges for travellers
High travel demand in December amplified the impact of operational issues
Regulatory monitoring of airline reliability may increase after this incident

FAQs

What caused IndiGo to cancel eight flights in Nagpur?
The airline cited an operational constraint, which typically relates to internal scheduling or resource issues.

Were passengers offered refunds or rebooking options?
Yes, refunds were provided, and rebooking was offered when seats were available, though availability was limited due to high demand.

Is this likely to affect upcoming flights from Nagpur?
The situation stabilised later in the day. Any further impact depends on whether the operational issue is fully resolved.

How should passengers handle similar situations in the future?
Checking real time flight status before leaving home and arriving earlier during peak seasons helps minimise disruption.