DGCA Exposes Scale of IndiGo's December 2025 Operational Meltdown
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has quantified the widespread disruption caused by IndiGo in December 2025, revealing that a staggering 16.2 lakh domestic passengers were stranded at airports across India. This official data puts numbers to the chaotic scenes captured in viral videos and photographs from that period, where frustrated and exhausted travelers confronted ground staff.
Breakdown of Passenger Distress
According to the DGCA's monthly traffic report for December 2025, the crisis unfolded in two primary ways. First, 9.8 lakh flyers were directly impacted by the total cancellation of IndiGo flights. Second, an additional 6.4 lakh passengers faced significant hardships, stranded at airports due to flight delays exceeding two hours. The data was compiled from information submitted by the domestic airlines themselves.
While IndiGo bore the brunt of the operational failure, other carriers were not immune. The report noted that 43,278 passengers booked on Air India and Air India Express flights were affected by cancellations, with nearly 1.2 lakh more experiencing delays beyond the two-hour threshold.
Financial Fallout and Compensation Ambiguity
The financial repercussions for IndiGo were substantial. The airline disclosed that it spent approximately Rs 22.7 crore in December 2025 on passenger facilitation, including refunds and arranging alternate flights. However, the airline has remained tight-lipped regarding specific compensation details. It has declined to share information on the exact number of passengers eligible for compensation under aviation regulations or how many have actually received such payments to date.
Underlying Causes: Pilot Shortage and Regulatory Changes
In a meeting held on January 29 to review IndiGo's operations, the airline provided assurances. It claimed readiness to maintain smooth operations even after the removal of exemptions to Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) regulations, effective February 10, citing sufficient pilot availability on its roster.
However, aviation experts sound a note of caution. Civil aviation expert Captain M. Ranganathan argues the problem is far from resolved. He explains that for sustainable operations, an airline requires six pairs of pilots and co-pilots per domestic flight and eleven pairs for long-haul routes. The pilot availability figures submitted by IndiGo are based on older 2022 Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) regulations. Under the impending new rules, Captain Ranganathan warns, there will still be a significant deficiency of pilots for their current fleet size. He ominously added, "There is another storm brewing if the problem is not addressed."
The Core Issue: Pilot Remuneration
Industry insiders point to a deeper, systemic issue. Several pilots, speaking to media, identified poor pay as the biggest problem. One pilot highlighted the disparity, stating, "Pilots' salary is very low in India compared to other countries, and pilots are among the highest taxpayers." This compensation challenge is seen as a critical factor affecting pilot recruitment and retention, potentially exacerbating the crew availability crisis.
The DGCA data has officially underscored a period of severe turbulence for India's largest airline, shifting the narrative from anecdotal evidence to hard statistics and raising serious questions about crew management, regulatory compliance, and long-term operational stability in the domestic aviation sector.
