The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sharply criticized the Union government and IndiGo airline over a week-long crisis that led to hundreds of flight cancellations, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and causing airfares to surge dramatically. Hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) on the matter, a bench led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela questioned how the situation was allowed to "precipitate" into a full-blown emergency, emphasizing that the fallout extended beyond individual hardships to significant economic losses for the country.

The court zeroed in on the exorbitant fare hikes by rival airlines, pointing out that tickets originally priced at ₹4,000–₹5,000 had ballooned to ₹30,000–₹39,000 overnight. "If there was a crisis, how could other airlines be permitted to take advantage? How can it go up to ₹35,000 and ₹39,000? How can a ticket cost ₹39,000?" the bench remarked, pulling up the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for failing to intervene earlier and prevent such exploitation of stranded travelers.

The disruptions, which began around December 2, stemmed from IndiGo's non-compliance with revised flight duty time limitations (FDTL) rules aimed at curbing pilot fatigue, resulting in over 1,500 cancellations nationwide. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati informed the court that a show-cause notice had been issued to IndiGo, which has since apologized and restored 95% of its network, but the judges questioned why preventive measures—like hiring more pilots or enforcing guidelines proactively—were not taken sooner.

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Directing IndiGo to immediately process compensation for affected passengers, including refunds for cancellations and reimbursements for alternative travel and accommodations, the court also mandated the government-appointed inquiry committee to submit its report in a sealed cover by January 22, 2026. It stressed the need for airlines to maintain adequate crew strength and behave responsibly, warning that such lapses undermine public trust in the aviation sector.

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