In India, traditional weddings are grand events, but the recent turmoil with IndiGo, the country’s leading airline, has significantly disrupted these celebrations.
This week, IndiGo’s mass flight cancellations left countless passengers stranded. Among those affected were brides and grooms; one couple attended their wedding reception virtually, while others scrambled to reschedule, and some families opted for expensive charter flights.
Even Singapore’s High Commissioner to India, Simon Wong, was caught in the chaos. He shared on X that his flight was cancelled, preventing him from attending a staff member’s wedding in Deoghar, eastern India.
Wedding season turmoil
The cancellations hit during the peak wedding season, a $130 billion industry in India where families invest heavily in lavish, multi-day celebrations filled with music, dance, and gifts.
Despite IndiGo’s apologies, many soon-to-be-married couples remain unsatisfied.
When their flight was cancelled, one couple joined their wedding reception via video conferencing, apologizing to guests who had already arrived at the venue. The couple’s seats remained empty at the event.
“We invited so many relatives, and cancelling last minute was impossible. So, we decided they would attend online,” the bride’s mother shared with NDTV.
IndiGo flight cancellations forced a newlywed techie couple to join their own reception online, with their families streaming them on a big screen. #IndigoDelay #FlightCancellations pic.twitter.com/Yp0NToLk9q
— Aristotle (@goLoko77) December 5, 2025
‘We booked a charter flight’
IndiGo acknowledged that its crisis stemmed from not adapting in time to new pilot duty-hour rules. The Indian government plans to investigate the disruptions, which included over 1,000 cancellations on Friday alone.
IndiGo dominates more than 60% of India’s aviation market.
Amit Kumar Gupta, an equity research firm founder, mentioned his cousin’s wedding in Goa was postponed to January due to the chaos.
“Though the bride and groom arrived, most family members were stranded in Delhi,” Gupta said.
The Goa venue offered a credit note, but no refunds.
Shirshti Magan, who was eager for her brother’s wedding, blamed IndiGo’s cancellations for spoiling the plans.
“We’re devastated. A man-made disaster,” Magan shared on X.
India’s domestic air traffic surged from 83 million in 2014 to 174 million in 2024, per IATA. IndiGo has the largest domestic reach, covering cities other airlines don’t.
A disappointed Sairtha K.G.F. sat outside Bengaluru airport lamenting that 80 guests, including the groom, couldn’t reach Puri for the Saturday wedding.
“Now we’ve booked a charter flight.”
