Aviation Ministry Gives IndiGo 8 PM Sunday Deadline to Complete All Refunds
Government issues 48-hour ultimatum amid unprecedented flight cancellation crisis.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has delivered a non-negotiable ultimatum to IndiGo, directing the airline to complete the full refund process for all cancelled and severely disrupted flights no later than 8 pm on Sunday, 8 December 2025. The ministry has made it clear that any deviation, partial compliance, or continued delay will result in immediate and stringent regulatory consequences, ranging from substantial monetary penalties to potential restrictions on future operations.
This extraordinary governmental intervention follows an unprecedented five-day operational collapse that saw IndiGo cancel over 1,000 flights on Friday alone, with more than 400 additional cancellations recorded on Saturday. The cascading disruptions have left tens of thousands of passengers stranded at airports nationwide, triggered widespread public outrage, and overwhelmed complaint mechanisms, compelling authorities to step in with enforceable deadlines to protect consumer rights.
In addition to the strict Sunday refund cutoff, the directive explicitly forbids IndiGo from levying any form of rescheduling, date-change, or cancellation charges on affected travellers, regardless of original ticket conditions. The ministry has further mandated that the airline’s automatic refund mechanism remain fully operational and uninterrupted until complete normalisation of services is achieved, eliminating the need for passengers to repeatedly pursue their legitimate claims.
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To ensure swift redressal and accountability, IndiGo has been ordered to immediately establish dedicated passenger-support and refund-facilitation cells at every major airport and through enhanced digital and telephonic channels. These units are required to proactively contact each impacted passenger, provide real-time assistance, process refunds without delay, and maintain verifiable records of every transaction for subsequent regulatory audit.
Recognising the acute distress caused by baggage separation, the ministry has separately imposed a firm 48-hour deadline for IndiGo to locate, retrieve, and deliver all checked-in luggage that was detached from passengers due to abrupt cancellations or irregular handling. This directive covers delivery to passengers’ current locations across India, underscoring the government’s determination to resolve every facet of the crisis comprehensively.
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