IndiGo vacated 717 slots at domestic airports after DGCA curtailed winter flights
Mumbai (PTI): IndiGo has vacated more than 700 slots at various domestic airports, following aviation watchdog DGCA curtailing the country's largest airline's winter flights by 10 per cent after massive operational disruptions in early December, according to sources.
Generally, slots refer to a particular time period given to an airline for takeoff and landing of aircraft. In simple terms, it is about operating flights at the given time.
Out of the 717 slots, as many as 364 are from six key metro airports -- Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Among these cities, most of the vacated slots are from Hyderabad and Bengaluru, the sources told PTI.
As per data provided by the sources, the number of slots vacated by IndiGo is spread over the January-March period. A total of 361 slots have been vacated for March compared to just 43 for February, and this month, the count of vacated slots is at 361.
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Against this backdrop, the civil aviation ministry on Thursday asked other airlines to submit their requests for operating domestic flights on the slots vacated by IndiGo.
"IndiGo has submitted a list of 717 slots to the ministry, which it has vacated after the domestic winter schedule was reduced by 10 per cent in early December last year," one of the sources said.
The airline, which generally operates more than 2,200 flights daily, has trimmed the number of services following the directive from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that was aimed at preventing last-minute cancellations and ensuring operational stability.
As part of its winter schedule for 2025-26, IndiGo was allowed to operate 15,014 flights per week, which comes to 2,144 flights per day.
A 10 per cent reduction has brought this down to 1,930 domestic flights per day. It may be noted here that IndiGo, in its summer schedule, operated on an average of 2,022 flights a day.
Between December 3 and 5 last year, IndiGo cancelled 2,507 flights and 1,852 flights were delayed, impacting over 3 lakh passengers at airports across the country.
Following the massive disruptions, DGCA reduced IndiGo's winter schedule by 10 per cent, which meant the airline had stopped operating services in various slots.
"Going by the slots vacated by IndiGo, it is clear that they can be operated by other airlines only till the end of March. After that, they might go back to IndiGo. No one can do the network planning at such short notice. No one is going to open a sector at such short notice, operate it only to close after a month," an airline industry executive said.
Another airline industry executive said airlines might not be keen to take the slots vacated by IndiGo, as most of them are for red-eye flights.
Generally, red-eye flights are those operated late at night or in the wee hours.
In its communication sent out to airlines on Thursday, the ministry said the committee on redistribution of the vacated IndiGo slots held its first meeting on January 13, wherein the process and principles for redistribution were discussed.
Following the deliberations, the panel has now asked airlines to submit their requests and preferences for the vacated slots, subject to various conditions, it added.
As per the communication, the airlines have to send their requests for the vacated slots to the airport operators concerned and the final decision on the redistribution of the slots.
Among other conditions, the interested airlines should not discontinue their existing routes to utilise the vacated slots.
On January 17, DGCA announced slapping fines totalling Rs 22.20 crore for the December flight disruptions and had also warned CEO Pieter Elbers and two other senior executives for the lapses.
It also directed the airline to furnish a Rs 50 crore bank guarantee to ensure long-term systemic corrections.
The watchdog, on January 20, said the disruptions stemmed from mismanagement of adequate flight crew, inadequate regulatory preparedness at the operator level, and shortcomings in system software support, management structure, and operational control.
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Lost a good friend; void cannot be filled: Fadnavis mourns Ajit Pawar’s passing
Mumbai (PTI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday described Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s tragic death in a plane crash as unbelievable, and said he had lost a good friend.
Fadnavis said “today” (January 28) will be a government holiday and there will be a three-day state mourning as a mark of respect to Pawar.
Ajit Pawar’s death has left a void that will never be filled, he said. “After working closely together, it is unbelievable that he is no more,” Fadnavis said.
Talking to reporters, Fadnavis described Pawar as a people’s leader who knew the state well and had a deep understanding of the issues in Maharashtra. He said it takes several years to build and establish such leadership.
Fadnavis said he had apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the tragedy. The CM said he had also spoken with Ajit Pawar’s cousin Supriya Sule and his son Parth Pawar.
“Both (Deputy CM) Eknath Shinde and I are leaving for Baramati now. Once their entire family gathers in Baramati, we will share further details,” he said.
The entire state stands by Pawar’s family and his party NCP in this hour of grief, he added.
Ajit Pawar, 66, and four other persons were killed after an aircraft carrying them crashed in Maharashtra’s Pune district on Wednesday morning, officials said. The incident occurred when the plane carrying Pawar and others landed near Baramati, they said.
Several state BJP leaders, including Ashish Shelar, Ravindra Chavan and Chandrashekhar Bawankule, expressed deep grief over Pawar’s passing.
“This heart-wrenching incident has left the mind numb. Maharashtra has lost an experienced, dutiful and resolute leader,” state minister Shelar said.
Pawar left a distinct imprint on the state’s politics through his strong grip over administration, decisiveness and relentless drive for Maharashtra’s all-round progress. “Firmness, discipline, punctuality and tireless dedication were defining aspects of his personality,” he said.
BJP state president Ravindra Chavan said Maharashtra’s politics was unimaginable without Pawar. He said Pawar was known as a dynamic leader with a powerful command over administration and an unwavering focus on the state’s comprehensive development.
He said Pawar held the record for serving the longest tenure as deputy CM in the state’s history and left an indelible mark while handling key portfolios such as irrigation, energy and finance. “With his passing, Maharashtra has lost a firm, disciplined, punctual and indefatigable leader. This void can never be filled,” Chavan said.
Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule described Pawar as a senior friend and guide. “Even now, it is difficult to accept that this tragedy has really happened,” he said. Pawar would be remembered as a true people’s leader who gave clear direction and unstoppable momentum to Maharashtra’s all-round development, Bawankule said.
Recalling Pawar’s immense administrative experience, Bawankule said he had personally sought the NCP leader’s advice on several occasions.
“The loss of Ajitdada is not merely the departure of one leader; it is a profound loss for Maharashtra itself. The nation has lost a visionary statesman, and I have lost a dear elder friend and guide,” Bawankule said, adding that the reality of Pawar no longer being among them felt impossible to accept.
VIDEO | Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis expresses grief over the demise of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in an aircraft crash. He says, “This morning, a very tragic incident occurred. In extremely unforeseen circumstances, the news of the unfortunate demise of our state’s deputy chief… pic.twitter.com/sKIKJ5FvRW
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 28, 2026
