IndiGo Faces DGCA Action Over Lapses; Govt Says Airport Operations Back to Normal

India's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has issued show-cause notices to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and Accountable Manager Isidro Porqueras, demanding explanations within 24 hours for the airline's severe operational lapses amid a week-long crisis of mass flight cancellations and delays. The disruptions, triggered primarily by inadequate preparation for revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms for pilots—implemented in phases starting July 2025—have stranded thousands of passengers and led to over 1,600 cancellations on Friday alone, followed by more than 800 on Saturday. The DGCA cited "significant lapses in planning, oversight, and resource management," warning of potential heavy penalties if responses are unsatisfactory.

Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu convened a high-level meeting on Saturday with Elbers, Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha, and DGCA chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai to address the chaos, which has affected major airports including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. The government announced that normalcy has been restored nationwide, with all necessary passenger facilities in place, and mandated IndiGo to complete refunds for all cancelled or disrupted flights by 8:00 PM on Sunday, December 7. To curb fare gouging amid the surge in demand, the ministry capped one-way economy fares—such as Rs 7,500 for routes up to 500 km and Rs 15,000 for 1,000-1,500 km stretches like Delhi-Mumbai—well below prevailing rates.

In a swift coordinated response, the Railway Ministry announced 89 special trains across all zones, set to operate over 100 trips starting Saturday and running through the next three days, targeting high-impact cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Patna, and Howrah. This move aims to alleviate travel disruptions for affected passengers, with services analyzed and deployed in record time based on traffic patterns. At Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, IndiGo cancelled 146 flights by 8:00 PM Saturday (70 arrivals and 76 departures), while in Hyderabad, 115 arrivals and departures were axed, underscoring the scale of the fallout.

Also Read: Airbus A320 Malfunction: Software Update Completed on 189 of 338 Flights, Confirms DGCA

The crisis marks the most significant operational failure in IndiGo's 20-year history, with the airline's on-time performance plummeting to a record low of 3.7% on Friday. In temporary relief, the DGCA has withdrawn the contentious FDTL norms and granted relaxations, including reverting night duty definitions to 12:00 AM-5:00 PM and allowing up to six landings per night shift, enabling IndiGo—which commands over 60% of India's domestic market and operates 2,300 daily flights—to aim for full restoration by February 10, 2026. An inquiry committee has been formed to probe deficiencies, with government officials promising action based on its findings to ensure long-term preparedness and prevent recurrence.

Also Read: Centre Plans Tough Action on IndiGo Amid Chaos, Considers Removing CEO Pieter Elbers