New Delhi, Dec. 9 -- The government is planning to curtail IndiGo's daily flight operations in the ongoing winter schedule in the wake of a major meltdown, officials aware of the matter said, on a day when the airline in its reply to a showcause notice by the aviation regulator attributed the mass cancellations to a "compounding effect of multiple factors".

The airline operates 2,200 flights a day in the winter schedule. Though there was no confirmation on the number of flights that will be cut, some officials said at least 100 a day could be pulled back.

"Looking at the current status of the airline, there may soon be a reduction in the daily approved IndiGo's flight numbers for the current winter schedule operations. A final decision ...