India’s largest carrier IndiGo is scrambling to restore its schedule after an eight-day operational meltdown led to the cancellation of 104 flights at Chandigarh International Airport alone, disrupting the travel plans of an estimated 20,000 passengers.
Airport CEO Ajay Kumar told reporters on December 13 that cascading crew-rostering issues and unexpected aircraft groundings triggered the crisis. While normalcy began returning late on Friday, delays of 15–45 minutes continued across domestic routes to Delhi, Mumbai and Srinagar, as well as the lone international flight to Abu Dhabi.
During disruptions like these, travellers often need to reroute through alternate countries or extend layovers—changes that can trigger new visa requirements. VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/india/) offers quick visa checks, streamlined application processing and real-time support, helping both corporate travel desks and individual passengers secure the right documents at short notice and keep their journeys on track despite airline schedule chaos.
![IndiGo operational crisis cancels 104 flights, stranding 20,000 passengers]()
The impact on corporate mobility has been sharp: companies had to re-book time-sensitive trips, charter alternate carriers or shift meetings online. Travel-management firms estimate direct refund liabilities for IndiGo in “double-digit crores” of rupees, not including hotel and onward-connection costs borne by travellers.
In a bid to restore confidence, IndiGo’s board has appointed U.S. aviation consultancy Chief Aviation Advisors LLC to conduct an independent audit of operations. Captain John Illson, a former FAA and IATA veteran, will head the review and deliver a report to the board within 45 days.
Mobility managers are advised to monitor flight-status feeds closely over the next fortnight and diversify carrier choices on sectors that remain schedule-sensitive for field-service engineers and expatriate staff.
Airport CEO Ajay Kumar told reporters on December 13 that cascading crew-rostering issues and unexpected aircraft groundings triggered the crisis. While normalcy began returning late on Friday, delays of 15–45 minutes continued across domestic routes to Delhi, Mumbai and Srinagar, as well as the lone international flight to Abu Dhabi.
During disruptions like these, travellers often need to reroute through alternate countries or extend layovers—changes that can trigger new visa requirements. VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/india/) offers quick visa checks, streamlined application processing and real-time support, helping both corporate travel desks and individual passengers secure the right documents at short notice and keep their journeys on track despite airline schedule chaos.
The impact on corporate mobility has been sharp: companies had to re-book time-sensitive trips, charter alternate carriers or shift meetings online. Travel-management firms estimate direct refund liabilities for IndiGo in “double-digit crores” of rupees, not including hotel and onward-connection costs borne by travellers.
In a bid to restore confidence, IndiGo’s board has appointed U.S. aviation consultancy Chief Aviation Advisors LLC to conduct an independent audit of operations. Captain John Illson, a former FAA and IATA veteran, will head the review and deliver a report to the board within 45 days.
Mobility managers are advised to monitor flight-status feeds closely over the next fortnight and diversify carrier choices on sectors that remain schedule-sensitive for field-service engineers and expatriate staff.
