IndiGo Faces Refund Complaint Surge As Government Data Shows 3X Rise
Government data shows sharp rise in IndiGo refund complaints.
Airline ticket refund complaints in India surged to a four-year high in 2025, with government data showing a more than threefold increase compared with the previous year. The sharp rise in passenger grievances came amid major operational disruptions in the aviation sector, including a large-scale disruption faced by IndiGo in December 2025.
According to data shared by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, airlines received 4,386 refund-related complaints in 2025, compared with 1,315 complaints in 2024. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol informed the Rajya Sabha that the increase represented a jump of 233 per cent, highlighting growing concerns among passengers over delayed refunds and ticket-related issues.
The data showed that refund complaints stood at 1,508 in 2022 before declining to 961 in 2023. However, complaints rose again to 1,315 in 2024 and increased sharply to 4,386 in 2025. Although the government did not link the rise to any specific airline, the increase followed IndiGo’s operational crisis in December 2025.
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During the disruption, IndiGo cancelled more than 5,000 flights over a period of three to four days after revised pilot duty regulations were implemented by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The incident highlighted operational and crew management challenges at India’s largest airline and led the regulator to direct the carrier to reduce capacity by 10 per cent and increase pilot availability.
The disruption also resulted in major changes within IndiGo’s leadership, including the exit of Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers. Following the incident, the government focused on improving passenger support systems and strengthening mechanisms to handle complaints related to flight cancellations, baggage problems and refunds.
To improve grievance redressal, the Centre said it has established a permanent 24x7 Passenger Assistance Control Room involving the Ministry of Civil Aviation, DGCA, Airports Authority of India and airlines. The government also stated that DGCA rules provide mandatory guidelines for refunds, compensation and passenger facilities during cancellations, delays and denied boarding, with regular monitoring and enforcement action against violations.
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