Australian passengers relying on Singapore as a transit point to India are being caught in IndiGo’s escalating operational breakdown, as the airline works through one of its most disruptive periods in recent memory. The delays and cancellations spreading across IndiGo’s network are centred in India, where crew shortages and operational issues have triggered widespread disruption. The uncertainty is beginning to touch some international services too, adding extra caution for those travelling long distances during the summer holiday period.
The trouble began earlier this week after IndiGo misjudged staffing needs while transitioning to new flight duty time rules brought in by India’s regulator. The rules require longer rest periods, restrict night operations and tighten limits on extended duties. IndiGo admitted it did not hire enough crew ahead of the transition, leading to shortages across major airports. Technical issues and congestion have contributed to the strain. Other carriers prepared for the change by recruiting additional pilots. IndiGo did not, and the gap has now widened.
The impact is visible in hubs across India. An internal operational report for Kolkata showed 24 IndiGo flights affected between 12 noon and 8 am, with four cancellations and 20 delays. Two cancelled flights were arrivals from Bengaluru, while departures to Mumbai and Delhi were also scrapped. Ten incoming services ran late, including flights from Delhi, Singapore and Bangkok. Fourteen departures were delayed, covering routes to Guwahati, Haldia, Bhubaneswar and Imphal. Most of the problems were classified as “operational”.
For Australian travellers, Singapore remains a key transit point, with many flying from Sydney or Melbourne on Singapore Airlines or Qantas before connecting to IndiGo for regional destinations in India. While the core of the disruption is inside India, some flights between India and Singapore have arrived late or departed well behind schedule. These delays can shorten connection times, increase the risk of missed onward flights and create extended layovers, especially for passengers relying on tight itineraries or codeshare bookings.
IndiGo’s services between India and Singapore remain operational, including flights from Chennai, Bengaluru and Trichy, though several have been affected by late arrivals in recent days. Travel agents say the pattern is uneven, with some flights running close to schedule and others facing multi-hour delays.
The airline issued a public apology, stating, “We extend a heartfelt apology to all our customers and industry stakeholders who have been impacted by these events.” IndiGo added that its teams are working “diligently” with government agencies and airport operators “to reduce the cascading impact of these delays and restore normalcy”.
A longer statement read: “The last two days have seen widespread disruption across IndiGo’s network and operations. We extend a heartfelt apology to all our customers and industry stakeholders who have been impacted by these events. IndiGo teams are working diligently and making all efforts with the support of MOCA, DGCA, BCAS, AAI and airport operators to reduce the cascading impact of these delays and restore normalcy. We continue to keep our customers apprised of any changes to their scheduled flights and advise them to check the latest status at https://www.goindigo.in/flight-status.html?depDate=2025-12-05|origin=SIN|destination=MAA before heading to the airport. IndiGo deeply regrets the inconvenience caused and remains focussed on streamlining its operations at the earliest.”
Regulators have been told that disruption is likely to continue for several more days. IndiGo plans to cut parts of its schedule from 8 December to stabilise operations, with full recovery not expected until February. That timeline stretches across one of the busiest travel windows for Australians heading to India for family visits, holidays or weddings.
Passengers travelling through Singapore are being advised to monitor their flight status closely, prepare for possible late arrivals and build extra time into their connections, particularly when travelling to regional Indian airports that are heavily dependent on IndiGo’s domestic network.
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