The government has stepped in as IndiGo faces a severe operational crisis, cancelling hundreds of flights nationwide and leaving thousands of passengers stranded.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and DGCA have ordered airlines to provide hotel accommodation, meals, lounge access for senior citizens, automatic refunds and flight-rescheduling support.
IndiGo has apologised, assured automatic refunds for cancellations between 5–15 December, and promised full operational restoration only by 10 February 2026.
Advisory
The government has also issued a detailed advisory to all airlines, emphasising strict compliance with passenger-rights norms during large-scale disruptions.
The notice directs carriers to ensure seamless communication through SMS, email, app notifications, and airport announcements, warning that failure to provide timely updates will invite regulatory action.
Airlines must proactively offer meal vouchers, rebooking options at no extra cost, ground assistance for elderly and disabled passengers, and hotel accommodation for overnight delays.
The advisory also instructs airports to deploy additional staff at helpdesks and enhance crowd management to prevent distress, reflecting the government’s sharper focus on passenger welfare.
Immediate Relief Measures and Official Response
As of 5 December 2025, IndiGo cancelled over 750 flights across major hubs including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad – a third consecutive day of widespread disruption.
In response, MoCA held urgent meetings with IndiGo’s leadership and instructed airports via the Airports Authority of India to ensure passenger welfare.
The DGCA demanded a corrective plan, fortnightly progress reports, and warned against possible fare gouging.
Under government direction, stranded passengers are to be offered hotel stays, meals, ground transport and lounge access for the elderly – while refreshments and airport assistance are to be ramped up.
The measures reflect mounting concern over what officials described as “unacceptable” levels of disruption and poor communication from the airline.
Meanwhile, IndiGo publicly expressed regret: “We are truly sorry,” the airline said, announcing full waivers and automatic refunds for all flights cancelled between 5 and 15 December.
Root Causes & Wider Impact on Air Travel Industry
According to IndiGo and regulator sources, the chaos stems from its failure to adequately plan for new crew-fatigue rules under the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) – rolled out in two phases: 1 July and 1 November 2025.
Under the new norms, pilots must take increased rest, night landings per month are capped, and stricter duty-hour limits apply. IndiGo underestimated its crew requirements, leading to chronic pilot shortages and rostering gaps, especially as the holiday season and winter weather added pressure.
The effect has been dramatic: IndiGo’s on-time performance dropped to as low as 8.5% by 4 December, from an already modest 35%.
Many passengers reported hours-long waits in crowded terminals, unclear communication, and huge inconvenience – some missing critical connections, business meetings or family events.
With IndiGo controlling roughly 60% of the domestic aviation market, the ripple effect extended across the industry, affecting ticket prices and straining alternate carriers.
IndiGo has informed DGCA that it expects to fully stabilise operations only by 10 February 2026, requesting temporary relaxations on certain FDTL provisions in the meantime.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This disruption is more than a corporate meltdown – it represents a breach of trust that impacts everyday lives.
While safety regulations like FDTL are essential to ensure that crew are fit, rested and alert, their implementation cannot come at the cost of chaotic scheduling, poor communication and mass passenger suffering.
The government’s swift intervention to ensure hotel stays, meals and refunds was necessary – but it is a reactive fix, not a long-term solution.
What is truly needed now is greater accountability: airlines must plan responsibly, regulators must work collaboratively with carriers to anticipate transitions, and passenger rights must be upheld as non-negotiable. Transparent communication – before and during disruptions – must become the norm, not the exception.
