New Delhi, Dec 3 (NationPress) The low-cost airline IndiGo announced on Wednesday that it had to cancel a staggering 1,232 flights, with 755 flights being cancelled specifically due to crew shortages stemming from Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) regulations.

Additionally, 258 flights faced cancellations because of airspace restrictions, and 92 flights were impacted by failures in the ATC system.

The DGCA has stated that it is currently probing the circumstances surrounding this issue and is working closely with the airline to implement strategies aimed at reducing cancellations and delays, thereby alleviating the discomfort experienced by passengers.

IndiGo has been directed to report to the DGCA Headquarters to detail the factors contributing to the current crisis, along with strategies to address ongoing delays and cancellations, according to the statement.

According to IndiGo, "A significant portion of the cancellations was linked to crew/FDTL compliance as well as airport and airspace-related factors, many of which are beyond the airline's direct control," the airline stated.

Furthermore, IndiGo reported that its overall on-time performance (OTP) dropped to 67.7 percent in November from 84.1 percent in October.

The DGCA has provided additional guidance to the airline to enhance the execution of the updated FDTL regulations.

As per the DGCA's announcement, IndiGo is now implementing measures to improve crew planning and scheduling while adhering to FDTL norms. The airline is also improving coordination with ATC and airports to manage capacity issues and enhance turnaround times along with disruption management processes.

Passengers are advised to check the status of their flights through official resources prior to their departure, the announcement emphasized.

On Wednesday, IndiGo was compelled to cancel numerous flights departing from major hubs such as Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru, primarily due to crew shortages that severely disrupted flight schedules.

While some cancellations were reported on Tuesday, conditions worsened on Wednesday.

IndiGo acknowledged in a statement: "We recognize that our operations have been greatly affected across the network for the past two days, and we sincerely apologize to our customers for the disruption caused."

A series of unexpected operational challenges, including minor technical issues, seasonal schedule changes, adverse weather, increased congestion in the aviation system, and the enforcement of revised crew scheduling rules (FDTL), compounded our operational difficulties in ways that were difficult to predict, the airline noted.

To mitigate the impact of these disruptions and restore normalcy, IndiGo has implemented calculated adjustments to its flight schedules. "These adjustments will remain in effect for the next 48 hours, allowing us to stabilize our operations and gradually restore punctuality across our network. Our teams are dedicated to reducing customer inconvenience and ensuring operations normalize promptly. Affected customers are being offered alternative travel options or refunds where applicable," the statement concluded.

"We urge customers to verify the latest flight status at https://www.goindigo.in/check-flight-status.html before heading to the airport," the statement added.