NEW DELHI – Pandemonium unfolded at key airports across India on Friday as travelers with IndiGo, the nation’s leading airline, confronted a wave of flight cancellations and disruptions. These issues arose from the implementation of new regulations that limit pilots’ and crew members’ working hours.

Passengers faced a tumultuous experience, with many resorting to sleeping on terminal floors, enduring long waits at service desks, and receiving scant updates from the airline.

This marked the fourth consecutive day of setbacks for the budget airline, which is grappling with newly introduced guidelines. These rules, designed to mitigate fatigue and enhance safety, require extended rest periods and restrict nighttime flying hours.

The initial stage of these regulations was introduced in July, followed by a second phase in November. IndiGo found itself unprepared to adjust its crew schedules accordingly, leading to significant cancellations and operational disruptions.

On Thursday, the airline was forced to cancel over 300 flights, with many others experiencing delays. A notice from Delhi airport on Friday warned passengers that all domestic IndiGo flights would remain canceled until midnight. Meanwhile, other major carriers like Air India have not reported similar disruptions.

IndiGo operates around 2,300 flights daily and controls nearly 65% of India’s domestic aviation market.

Senior citizen Sajal Bose was scheduled to travel with his wife Senjuti Bose early Friday from Kolkata to New Delhi to attend a friend’s silver jubilee celebration. His flight was cancelled an hour before the scheduled take off.

Bose told The Associated Press he was now taking a nine-hour train ride to the city Bagdogra, where he plans to get a flight to New Delhi on another airline. “Its very irresponsible and complete negligence. Very difficult for older people like us,” he said.

In an internal email to employees this week, seen by The Associated Press, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers apologized, and cited technology glitches, schedule changes, adverse weather conditions, heightened congestion and the implementation of the new rules as the reasons for flight disruptions.

The Civil Aviation Ministry said in a statement that the disruptions arose primarily through misjudgment and planning gaps as the airline implemented phase two of the new rules, and that the airline acknowledged that the effect on crew strength exceeded their expectations.

IndiGo has sought temporary exemptions in implementing the new rules and told the government that corrective measures were underway. It has indicated the operations will be fully restored by Feb. 10.

More cancellations are expected in the next couple of weeks, and the airline said it would reduce its flight operations from Dec. 8 to minimize disruptions.

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Associated Press videojournalist Piyush Nagpal in New Delhi contributed to this report.