IndiGo’s December meltdown was not a simple “crew shortage” but a stress test that exposed how deeply India’s aviation system is tilted towards its largest airline.  This web story follows the trail from mass cancellations and stranded passengers to a closed-door 1 December “clarification” meeting with DGCA and the Civil Aviation Ministry, and shows how market dominance, captive cadet programmes and flexible fatigue rules together form an architecture of control that hurts both passengers and pilots.