IndiGo Turmoil Sends Domestic Ticket Prices Around ₹1 Lakh

India’s domestic aviation sector has hit an unprecedented crisis after a massive wave of IndiGo flight cancellations crippled operations nationwide. With hundreds of flights grounded for the fourth straight day, the sudden drop in available seats has pushed airfares to shocking levels, with some one way tickets now costing more than international return trips. Several routes even crossed the ₹1,00,000 mark, leaving passengers stunned and stranded.

Hyderabad alone saw 66 cancellations on Saturday. Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Goa, and Visakhapatnam also experienced severe disruptions. As thousands of passengers desperately attempted to switch to Air India, SpiceJet, and Vistara, limited seats triggered extreme dynamic pricing.

Short notice fares touched unbelievable highs. Hyderabad to Bhopal fares crossed ₹1,03,000 against the usual ₹5,000 to ₹10,000. Delhi to Bengaluru touched nearly ₹90,000. Some Kolkata to Bengaluru options hovered around ₹1,00,000. Even heavily travelled routes like Delhi to Mumbai surged up to ₹60,000. Most routes saw fares jump four to fifteen times their regular price, creating widespread anger among travellers.

The situation turned surreal when international routes became cheaper than domestic ones. For the same dates when Delhi to Bengaluru was around ₹70,000, flights from Delhi to London were available near ₹25,000. Bengaluru to Dubai was as low as ₹15,000.

The core issue stems from IndiGo’s severe pilot shortage. This followed the strict enforcement of DGCA’s new Flight Duty Time Limitations, restricting pilot working hours. With crew availability collapsing, IndiGo cancelled flights on a scale that choked national capacity.

The Centre has now offered temporary relief by easing certain rules until February 10, 2026. However, the airline has indicated that normal operations may take time to fully restore. As a stopgap, the Railway Department has added extra coaches to many premium trains, hoping to support stranded travellers who are otherwise facing sky high airfares.