IndiGo Gives Up 700+ Flight Slots After DGCA Penalty
IndiGo vacates over 700 domestic flight slots after DGCA cuts its winter schedule by 10% due to December disruptions.
IndiGo, India’s largest airline, has vacated more than 700 domestic flight slots across multiple airports after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) curtailed its winter schedule by 10% due to massive operational disruptions in early December 2025. The airline, which typically operates over 2,200 flights daily, now runs around 1,930 domestic flights per day under the revised schedule.
Out of the 717 vacated slots, 364 belong to six major metro airports — Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad — with the highest reductions seen in Hyderabad and Bengaluru. These slots cover the January-March 2026 period, with March seeing the most significant impact as 361 slots were released, compared to 43 in February.
The DGCA’s winter schedule reduction followed disruptions between December 3 and 5, when IndiGo cancelled 2,507 flights and delayed 1,852 others, affecting over 3 lakh passengers nationwide. The regulatory action aims to stabilize operations, prevent last-minute cancellations, and ensure smoother airline services.
Also Read: IndiGo Promises No More Cancellations After February 10 – DGCA Gets Assurance
In response, the civil aviation ministry has invited other airlines to submit requests for operating flights on the slots vacated by IndiGo. However, industry experts caution that the majority of these slots are red-eye flights, making it challenging for other carriers to efficiently utilize them on short notice. Redistribution will be valid only until the end of March 2026.
DGCA has also imposed penalties for the disruptions, including fines totaling Rs 22.20 crore and warnings to CEO Pieter Elbers and two senior executives. Additionally, the airline has been directed to furnish a Rs 50 crore bank guarantee to implement long-term operational improvements. The watchdog cited mismanagement of flight crews, system software shortcomings, and inadequate operational controls as root causes.
The ministry’s redistribution committee has outlined rules for slot allocation, including that interested airlines cannot discontinue existing routes to claim the vacated slots. The process, which began on January 13, requires airlines to submit their requests to respective airport operators for final approval. With these measures, authorities hope to minimize passenger inconvenience and restore stability to the domestic aviation network.
Also Read: IndiGo Penalised by DGCA, Commits to Stronger Flight Operations
