India’s largest carrier, IndiGo, is now facing one of the most severe reputation crisis in its history. A massive operational breakdown triggered more than 1,200 flight cancellations across late November and early December 2025, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. What began as a crew scheduling challenge during the transition to revised FDTL norms quickly snowballed into a nationwide disruption-and a brand emergency.

For years, IndiGo built its dominance on reliability, punctuality and consistency. But with its on-time performance slipping to 67.7% and its stock value falling by 8%, that brand promise now stands shaken. Passengers took to social media expressing anger over poor communication, long delays and lack of support. Automated responses during peak chaos only intensified public outrage.

The government has stepped in with strong measures, including automatic refunds, hotel accommodations for stranded passengers, and priority support for vulnerable travellers. The DGCA has even temporarily relaxed FDTL rules-an intervention rarely seen, signalling the gravity of the situation.

Experts suggest signs of strain were visible much earlier, with over 750 cancellations already recorded in November due to crew shortages. IndiGo’s attempt to run a full-capacity schedule without operational buffers turned its biggest strength-scale-into a pressure point.

To recover, industry analysts argue IndiGo must focus on deeper structural reform: stronger crew reserves, smarter rostering tools, transparent communication and proactive crisis protocols.

For IndiGo, this moment is more than operational turbulence-it is a defining test of trust, leadership and brand resilience.