IndiGo Flight Cancellations Hit Delhi’s Economy Hard: Markets, Tourism and Trade Suffer Massive Losses

IndiGo’s mass flight cancellations have severely impacted Delhi’s economy, reducing business travel, market footfall, exhibition attendance and tourism activities. With over 4,000 flights canceled since December, trade, events and hospitality sectors face losses estimated at nearly ₹1,000 crore.

Post Published By: Karan Sharma

Updated : 10 December 2025, 3:55 PM IST

Flight Cancellations Severely Impact Delhi's Economy

New Delhi: The continuous flight cancellations by IndiGo Airlines are having a direct and significant impact on Delhi's economy. Key sectors such as trade, industry, exhibitions, and tourism are suffering losses. Market activity has slowed down in the past ten days, and various events are not attracting the expected crowds.

Increased Passenger Anxiety, Reduced Airport Traffic

Since December 1st, more than 4,000 IndiGo flights have been cancelled. Delhi Airport usually handles 150,000 passengers daily, but the number of passengers has decreased significantly due to the flight cancellations.

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Business travelers have been most affected, impacting Delhi's business environment. The sudden changes in travel plans have resulted in financial losses for both companies and passengers.

Significant Drop in Footfall in Markets

According to CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal, approximately 50,000 traders and businesspeople who regularly travel to Delhi are now unable to do so due to the flight cancellations.

Footfall in Delhi's major markets has dropped by up to 25% in the last ten days, directly impacting business activities and sales. Traders consider this a very challenging situation for seasonal business.

Exhibitions Severely Affected, Participant Numbers Decline

Major exhibitions underway at Pragati Maidan and Anand Mandapam, such as the automobile, textile, handloom, and home furnishing expos, were expected to attract a large number of participants and buyers from across the country.

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However, the IndiGo flight cancellations have disrupted the plans of thousands of people. Organizers are facing losses in stall bookings, ticket sales, and sponsorships.

Tourism Season Takes a Hit

The period from Christmas to New Year is considered the peak tourism season in Delhi.

According to travel agencies, the IndiGo issue has led to a significant decline in hotel bookings, holiday packages, and domestic tourism. Manoj Khandelwal, Director of Manoj Travels, said that many tourists are canceling their trips, which has severely impacted the tourism business.

Estimated loss of up to ₹1000 crore

According to CTI, flight cancellations have negatively impacted businesses worth approximately ₹1000 crore across various sectors, including industry, tourism, hotels, restaurants, event management, and the wedding sector.

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Many guests could not reach their destination weddings on time, while some family members were also absent from the ceremonies.

The situation is also evident from DGCA data

According to the DGCA, only 59,438 out of the 64,346 scheduled flights operated in November, meaning 4,900 fewer flights. This clearly indicates that the crisis in the aviation industry is deepening.