NEW DELHI, December 4. /TASS/. More than 200 flights operated by IndiGo, one of India’s leading airlines, were canceled on Thursday, causing chaos at several airports, India Today TV reported.

According to the channel, at least 191 of the affected flights served airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) summoned IndiGo representatives on Thursday to discuss the situation.

IndiGo flights have been canceled with increasing frequency for more than a month. On Wednesday alone, over 100 flights were grounded, and in November the number exceeded 1,200. The company, which operates about 2,300 domestic and international flights daily, acknowledges that it has faced "numerous unforeseen operational challenges" over the past two days.

India Today notes that the disruptions stem from several factors. Among them are new crew working rules that came into force on November 1 and are aimed at reducing the workload on pilots and flight attendants. In particular, mandatory weekly rest time has been increased from 36 hours to two days, and the definition of night shifts has been expanded to cover the period from midnight to 6 a.m., rather than 5 a.m. as before. Against this backdrop, the airline has faced a shortage of personnel. Other reasons cited include technical issues, weather conditions, and the traditionally higher passenger traffic during winter.

According to the channel, some critics suspect that the airline may have deliberately neglected preparations for the new crew regulations in an effort to pressure aviation authorities to roll back the changes.