Air travel in India has been thrown into chaos this week as the country's largest carrier, IndiGo, cancelled thousands of flights over five consecutive days. The widespread disruption has left countless passengers stranded, prompting the government to intervene with emergency measures, including boosting train services to ease the travel burden.
Government Intervention and Passenger Relief Measures
The scale of the cancellations, which saw over 1,000 flights scrapped on Friday and more than 800 on Saturday, December 6, forced the Ministry of Civil Aviation to take decisive action. To protect passengers from financial hardship and opportunistic pricing, the ministry has issued a series of strict directives to the airline.
The Ministry has set a firm deadline of 8:00 pm on Sunday, December 7, 2025, for IndiGo to process all outstanding refunds for cancelled or disrupted flights. Any delay in compliance will trigger immediate regulatory action. Furthermore, airlines have been explicitly advised not to charge any fees to passengers who need to reschedule their trips due to these cancellations.
Addressing the issue of separated baggage, the ministry has instructed IndiGo to trace and deliver all affected luggage to passengers' addresses within 48 hours. Airlines must also keep travellers informed about tracking and provide compensation as per regulations.
Reasons Behind the Operational Crisis
IndiGo initially cited a combination of unforeseen challenges for the meltdown, including minor technical issues, winter schedule transitions, airport congestion, and bad weather. However, a report by PTI revealed deeper systemic issues. The airline informed the aviation regulator that it is facing significant hurdles in crew roster planning and availability under the new Phase-2 Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) requirements.
This transitional challenge has severely impacted operations, dragging the airline's on-time performance to a record low of 8.5% on Friday. In a statement on Saturday, IndiGo acknowledged the crisis and pledged to stabilise its schedule. "Our teams are focused on stabilising schedules, reducing delays, and supporting customers through this period," the airline said, adding that it is working determinedly to restore normalcy across its network.
Impact on Fares and Government Monitoring
The sudden reduction in flight capacity led to a sharp spike in airfares on several key routes. The Civil Aviation Ministry, taking serious note of these inflated prices, has invoked its regulatory powers to ensure fares remain fair and reasonable on all affected routes.
The ministry will actively monitor fare levels using real-time data and coordination with airlines and travel portals. Any airline found deviating from the prescribed norms will face immediate corrective action to protect the public interest.
For affected passengers, IndiGo has urged them to check the latest status of their flights on the airline's official website before heading to the airport. The carrier has assured that it is prioritising customer refunds and working with airport partners to provide timely updates.
