New Delhi, Dec. 9 -- Disruptions in IndiGo operations have now stretched into the eighth straight day, as the airline scrambles to steady a situation that has thrown air travel into chaos and left thousands of passengers stranded.

IndiGo, the country's largest budget carrier by market capitalization, hit this crisis after the government rolled out the second and final phase of Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), aimed at reducing pilot fatigue and improving safety.

However, the move triggered an acute shortage of crew in the airline, leading to thousands of cancellations and delays across major airports in India, and prompting a probe by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

IndiGo bore the brunt largely due to the sheer s...