IndiGo cancels 400+ flights; Ministry orders refunds, pilots warn of safety

• IndiGo cancelled over 400 flights on December 6, extending a crisis that saw over 1,000 cancellations on December 5.
• The Ministry of Civil Aviation directed IndiGo to complete all passenger refunds and baggage deliveries by December 7 evening.
• Cancellations were attributed to crew shortages resulting from challenges in complying with new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules.
• Major hubs like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, and Hyderabad were significantly impacted by the flight disruptions.
• The DGCA granted temporary relaxations to IndiGo, a move criticized by the pilots' union as "unsafe" and risking passengers.

Why It Matters: IndiGo's flight cancellations highlight airline operational failures and safety risks.