India's aviation regulator has given the country's largest airline a brief reprieve but with a stern warning, as operational disruptions continue to affect thousands of passengers. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Sunday, December 7, 2025, granted budget carrier IndiGo a one-time 24-hour extension to file its official response to a show-cause notice.
Regulator's Conditional Reprieve
The extension was granted specifically to the airline's Accountable Manager and CEO. In an official statement, the DGCA confirmed the move, which came after the executives formally requested more time. The request, dated December 7, cited the sheer scale of IndiGo's nationwide operations and multiple unavoidable factors that led to the widespread disruptions across several Indian airports.
The show-cause notice itself was issued by the DGCA on December 6, 2025, following days of chaos and passenger distress triggered by a large number of flight cancellations by the low-cost carrier. The notice specifically addresses the recent operational breakdown and observed non-compliances with regulations.
A Stern Warning from the Watchdog
While granting the extension, the aviation watchdog did not mince words. The DGCA's statement included a clear warning to the airline. It stated that a failure to submit a comprehensive and satisfactory response within the newly extended deadline "will result in the regulator proceeding ex-parte, based on the available records."
This legal term means the DGCA would make its decision and potentially impose penalties based solely on the evidence it has already gathered, without further input from IndiGo. This underscores the seriousness with which the regulator is treating the incident that has impacted air travel reliability during a peak period.
The Backdrop of Airport Chaos
The regulatory action stems from a series of major flight cancellations by IndiGo over recent days, which led to significant confusion and inconvenience for passengers at major airports like Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. Scenes of crowded terminals and frustrated travelers dominated news cycles, putting the airline's operational resilience under intense public and governmental scrutiny.
The disruptions have highlighted the challenges facing the aviation sector and raised questions about passenger rights and compensation during such large-scale schedule failures. All eyes are now on IndiGo's response to the DGCA, which is expected to detail the causes of the cancellations and the steps being taken to normalize operations and prevent a recurrence.
This remains a developing story, with further regulatory actions or airline statements anticipated following the submission deadline.
