IndiGo has vacated more than 700 flight slots across domestic airports after the aviation regulator DGCA curtailed the airline’s winter schedule by 10 percent, following widespread operational disruptions in early December, sources said. The development underscores the impact of regulatory intervention on the country’s largest carrier at a time of high travel demand.
In aviation parlance, slots refer to specific time windows allotted to airlines for the take-off and landing of aircraft at an airport. At congested airports, these time-bound permissions are crucial, as limited runway and terminal capacity restrict the number of flights that can be operated during peak hours.
Of the 717 slots vacated by IndiGo, 364 are concentrated at six major metro airports—Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Hyderabad and Bengaluru account for the highest number of surrendered slots among these cities, reflecting a sharper scaling back of operations at two of IndiGo’s key hubs.
The slot relinquishment follows the DGCA’s decision to reduce IndiGo’s winter operations after a period of severe disruption in early December, when a combination of weather conditions, congestion and operational challenges led to extensive delays and cancellations. The regulator had indicated that the curtailment was aimed at stabilising operations and ensuring passenger safety and reliability.
From an operational and commercial perspective, giving up slots—particularly at heavily congested airports such as Delhi and Mumbai—is significant. Slots at these locations are highly valued, and even a temporary reduction can affect an airline’s connectivity, market share and revenue. For IndiGo, which relies on high-frequency services across key domestic routes, the curbs highlight the immediate cost of operational stress.
The concentration of surrendered slots at Hyderabad and Bengaluru also points to growing capacity pressures at fast-expanding airports. Both cities are important bases for IndiGo and handle large passenger volumes, making them especially sensitive to schedule reductions. In the short term, fewer flights could translate into tighter seat availability and upward pressure on fares on some routes.
More broadly, the episode signals a tougher regulatory stance as domestic air travel continues to grow faster than airport infrastructure. The DGCA’s action suggests that operational resilience is becoming a priority, even for market leaders. For IndiGo, restoring full capacity will depend on demonstrating sustained improvements in reliability, to ensure that the temporary cutback in flights and surrender of slots does not evolve into a longer-term competitive setback.