Flight Prices Skyrocket Nationwide After IndiGo Cancels Delhi Departures

Air travellers faced soaring ticket prices on Friday after IndiGo halted all its domestic flights from Delhi Airport for the rest of the day, creating a sudden drop in available seats on key routes.

The dramatic disruption pushed last-minute fares to unusually high levels as passengers scrambled to secure alternative flights across India.

Delhi Airport confirmed the decision on X, stating that IndiGo services scheduled to leave the capital on 5 December would not operate until 23:59.

The airport reassured that other airlines were continuing with their scheduled departures and urged passengers to double-check their flight schedules.

Last-Minute Fares Hit Record Highs

Ticket costs surged within hours.

A late-evening Air India flight from Delhi to Bengaluru with a stopover listed at around Rs 1.02 lakh, while Akasa Air charged nearly Rs 39,000 for the same journey.

On the Delhi–Mumbai route, fares on Air India climbed to approximately Rs 60,000.

Travellers flying between Chennai and Delhi saw rates on Air India Express reach Rs 41,000, and SpiceJet prices spike up to about Rs 69,000.

Routes involving Hyderabad remain equally affected. One-stop Air India tickets from Hyderabad to Delhi rose to nearly Rs 87,000, while Hyderabad–Mumbai prices hit around Rs 76,500.

Travel to Bengaluru from Hyderabad also became expensive, with Air India quoting roughly Rs 41,400 and Air India Express around Rs 36,100.

The cancellations extended well beyond the capital. Over 220 IndiGo flights grounded in Delhi alone, with more than 100 in Bengaluru and almost 90 in Hyderabad, stranding thousands of passengers and causing lengthy queues and delays.

IndiGo has been grappling with major operational problems throughout the week.

The airline has attributed the cancellations to difficulties introduced by new pilot duty regulations intended to reduce fatigue, saying that staffing needs were underestimated during the transition.

The carrier had already cancelled more than 1,200 flights in November.

On Thursday, IndiGo cancelled more than 500 flights nationwide, marking one of its most significant disruptions in recent years.

Also Read: DGCA Relaxes Pilot Duty Rules After IndiGo Flight Cancellations Spark Nationwide Disruption