<h1>Domestic airline cancellations in December prompt regulator to curtail schedules and impose fines after major operational failures</h1> Domestic scheduled services experienced extensive cancellations in December, with 6,890 flights cancelled affecting 966,864 passengers. The regulator (DGCA) attributed the disruptions principally to over-optimisation of operations, deficiencies in system software support, inadequate regulatory preparedness, and shortcomings in management and operational control by a dominant carrier responsible for over 82% of cancellations; the DGCA curtailed that carriers winter schedule by 10% and imposed fines totalling Rs 22.20 crore. Adverse weather also contributed to cancellations. Reported airline groups varied in scale of impact, with one carrier accounting for the vast majority of cancelled services and passenger disruption.