Delhi HC Rejects Fresh PIL Seeking 4 times Compensation for IndiGo Cancellations
Delhi High Court rejects massive payout demand amid flight chaos.
The Delhi High Court on December 17, 2025, declined to entertain a new public interest litigation filed by the Centre for Accountability and Systemic Change, which demanded that IndiGo and the Union government pay four times the full ticket price as compensation to passengers affected by extensive flight cancellations in November and December following the implementation of revised Flight Duty Time Limitation norms.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela emphasised that the matter was already under judicial scrutiny in a prior PIL, allowing the petitioner to apply for intervention in the ongoing proceedings to avoid multiplicity of litigation and ensure efficient resolution of public grievances.
The court invoked established jurisprudence permitting expansion of scope in existing public interest cases, stating explicitly that there was no compelling reason to initiate parallel proceedings on substantially similar issues involving passenger rights and airline accountability.
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The petition highlighted widespread disruptions, including overflowing airports with misdirected baggage, prolonged delays, inadequate airline communication, and significant confusion surrounding refund processes and alternative bookings, underscoring the severe inconvenience faced by thousands of stranded travellers across the country.
Advocate Virag Gupta, appearing for the petitioner, pressed for enhanced compensation and a high-level inquiry by a retired judge or the Lokpal into alleged lapses by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation in anticipating and mitigating the crisis, but the bench opted to consolidate concerns within the pending case.
This ruling follows the court's earlier scrutiny on December 10, when it questioned the central government's delayed intervention in the IndiGo disruptions that stranded lakhs of passengers, enabled predatory fare hikes by competitors, and exposed vulnerabilities in regulatory oversight of pilot rostering and fatigue management under the new FDTL regime.
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