Indian travelers have been facing travel problems in recent days due to cancellations, delays and rescheduling of several IndiGo flights. People had to cancel their plans or make changes at the last minute.
Such events are rare. However, even in the past there have been incidents of air travel disruptions that have wreaked havoc with people’s plans. Here are five instances in the past when air travel was seriously paralyzed.
The US government shutdown is causing problems
Earlier this year, the US government shutdown left the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) short-staffed, forcing it to severely curtail air traffic. According to Travel Radar, up to 40 airports have been selected for air travel restrictions.
The disruption reached a crescendo when the number of canceled or delayed flights reached 5,000 on November 8. Nearly 13,000 air traffic controllers were working without pay, causing problems for authorities as many were sick or looking for alternative employment. Once the shutdown ended, everything went back to normal.
Air India crash
On 12 June 2025, Air India Flight 171 from Ahmedabad to London crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all but one person on board. Following the tragic crash of London-bound Air India Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad, all flights from Delhi Airport’s Terminal 1 to Ahmedabad have been canceled as a precautionary measure, India Today reported. Services were later restored.
Airbus planes grounded
In November 2025, the aviation giant Airbus was forced to change its plan due to problems with the A320 planes, the main model used by the company. The problems affected 6,000 flights, according to Politico.
“Intense sunlight can damage data critical to the operation of flight controls,” the company said in a statement.
Power outage in Spain
On 28 April 2025, there was a blackout across the Iberian Peninsula and parts of France, causing massive disruption to public transport as trains were stranded for hours.
In a massive relief, however, air traffic remained largely unaffected. This was due to the activation of emergency protocols by the agencies. As reported by alg-global.com, regional control centers and air traffic control towers in Spain have switched to autonomous power generators and back-up sources to ensure continuity of service.
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There were still some delays, but airspace remained open and air traffic remained fluid.
Hurricane Katrina
This hurricane caused a lot of damage on the ground, but it also left its mark on air travel. Commercial flights to and from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) have been suspended. The airport experienced a massive drop in passenger numbers and it took almost a decade to get back to normal.
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Frequently asked questions
Which Airbus model had problems that forced its fleet to be reassessed?
There have been some problems with the Airbus A320 aircraft.
What happened after Hurricane Katrina?
Commercial flights to and from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport have been suspended. The airport experienced a significant drop in the number of passengers.
