Centre Sets Up 24×7 Control Room as IndiGo Flight Chaos Deepens Nationwide

New Delhi: The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Friday announced that it has moved into “full emergency mode” as massive cancellations and delays by IndiGo continue to disrupt air travel across the country. With more than 500 flights cancelled or delayed in a single day, officials said round-the-clock monitoring is underway to bring the situation under control.

In an official post on X, the Ministry said the control room—set up on the directions of Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu—has been actively coordinating with all airports, airlines, and Air Traffic Control since Thursday night. The Minister personally inspected the control room on Friday morning and reviewed real-time updates from across major airports.

According to officials, the primary focus is to ensure continuous communication with stranded passengers, timely updates from airports, and rapid deployment of support staff across affected terminals.

The Ministry said operational data from airport operators, IndiGo, other carriers and ATC is being compiled on an hourly basis to streamline responses and prioritise relief measures. “Consolidated data is being shared with all airlines, especially IndiGo, along with directions to mobilise more manpower and restore normal operations,” it stated.

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has appealed to the Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA) and pilots nationwide to extend cooperation, as the disruption has reached unprecedented levels.

With passengers stranded for hours, facing missed connections, inflated ticket prices on other carriers, and slow grievance redressal, the Ministry reiterated that restoring normalcy at airports remains its top priority.