IndiGo gets 24 hrs for DGCA reply as refunds hit ₹610 cr: Top updates

After major nationwide disruptions, IndiGo now has to answer the DGCA by 6 pm on Monday; the airline says operations are improving and ₹610 crore in refunds have already been cleared

Crisis-hit airline IndiGo has been granted a one-time 24-hour extension by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to respond to the show cause notice issued on December 6.

 

The airline now has to respond by 6 pm on Monday. The DGCA said that no further extension would be allowed.

 

The notice was sent after large-scale disruptions and several regulatory lapses were observed in the airline’s operations. IndiGo’s senior executives requested more time in a letter dated December 7, citing operational challenges linked to the size of the airline’s network and multiple factors that caused delays and cancellations across major airports. 

 

IndiGo disruptions: Regulator warns of ex parte action

 

The DGCA said if IndiGo fails to provide a “complete and comprehensive reply” within the extended deadline, it will proceed ex parte based on available records. The DGCA added that it continues to monitor operations closely, with a priority on safety, compliance and restoring normal services.

 

Why the notice was issued

 

The show cause notice was issued to CEO Pieter Elbers after severe nationwide cancellations and delays left passengers stranded. The DGCA said IndiGo showed “significant lapses in planning, oversight and resource management”, which disrupted services across the country.

 

According to the regulator, the “primary cause” of the chaos was the airline’s failure to make adequate arrangements for revised staffing and rostering requirements under the new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules. These gaps amounted to prima facie non-compliance with the Aircraft Rules, 1937 (Rule 42A) and related regulations on crew duty hours, flight time limits and rest periods.

 

The DGCA also noted that IndiGo did not provide mandatory information or facilities to passengers affected by cancellations, delays or denied boarding -- violating passenger-rights rules.   

 

Refunds, waivers and passenger support

 

To help affected travellers, IndiGo announced automatic refunds for all cancelled flights and a complete waiver on cancellation or rescheduling fees for travel between December 5 and 15. The Ministry of Civil Aviation directed the airline to clear all refunds by 8 pm on December 7.

 

Despite recovery efforts, disruptions continued on Sunday, with around 400 flights cancelled. The airline said it expects operations to stabilise by December 10, with plans to run about 1,650 flights as it adjusts to new FDTL norms.

 

₹610 cr refunds processed so far

 

The airline has processed ₹610 crore in refunds and returned 3,000 pieces of baggage to passengers, as of Saturday. Authorities said the aviation network is moving towards normalcy and that corrective steps will remain in place until full stability is restored.

 

On Saturday, the government had ordered the airline to finish all pending ticket refunds and deliver lost baggage within two days.

 

What triggered the crisis?

 

The disruptions began as IndiGo tried to manage a tightening pilot roster and the rollout of the second phase of the new FDTL rules.

 

IndiGo operates more than 2,300 flights daily, meaning cancellations over 48 hours made up nearly 7 per cent of its total flights.

 

The airline said a mix of factors led to the disruption, including:

• minor technology glitches

• changes due to winter schedules

• congestion in the aviation system

• updated crew rostering rules

• impact of Cyclone Ditwah in southern India

 

A Hindustan Times report said an emergency software patch installed on the A320 fleet on November 29-30 caused crew scheduling issues just as the airline was grappling with limited flexibility under the new norms.

 

IndiGo issued a public apology, saying, “IndiGo's operations have been significantly disrupted across the network for the past two days, and we sincerely apologise.”

 

The airline confirmed it will carry out a “root cause analysis” once operations stabilise. While acknowledging planning gaps, the airline said a combination of factors -- not a single issue -- triggered the crisis. 

 

IndiGo crisis: 77 flight disruptions at Hyderabad

 

A total of 77 IndiGo flights were affected at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) on Monday. This included 38 incoming flights and 39 outgoing services that were cancelled.

 

Passengers also faced delays and cancellations at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.

 

Over 650 flights cancelled on Sunday

 

IndiGo cancelled more than 650 flights on Sunday, although operations are slowly improving. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said passengers had faced “mental harassment and distress” and assured accountability would be fixed.

 

The InterGlobe Aviation board has formed a Crisis Management Group to assess the situation and monitor recovery efforts.

 

At Delhi airport, 118 flights were cancelled on Sunday, and in Mumbai, 121 flights did not operate.

 

(With agency inputs)