India’s largest airline is experiencing its toughest crisis in years after cancelling thousands of flights amid a severe pilot shortage – a result of its failure to hire enough staff to meet new government rules designed to combat pilot fatigue.
Analysts say the turmoil at IndiGo highlights the structural challenges faced by a fast-growing aviation market currently dominated by just two carriers.
About 3,000 IndiGo flights were cancelled last week, including more than 1,000 on Friday, accounting for nearly half of its typical daily operations. The airline operated 1,800 flights on Tuesday, up from 1,650 the previous day, according to its website.
