Centre moves against IndiGo as cancellation crisis deepens
The IndiGo crisis widened on Tuesday as the Centre moved into action. Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu announced a cut in IndiGo’s winter schedule. He said the government will reassign five percent of the airline’s flying routes to other carriers. He took this decision after massive cancellations stranded passengers across major cities.
The situation on the ground remained tense. Lucknow saw 26 cancellations by morning. Bengaluru faced 121, Chennai 81, Hyderabad 58, Mumbai 31, and Ahmedabad 16. Delhi, however, reported no cancellations. Even so, long queues and anxious passengers marked several airports.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation prepared for a crucial review meeting. Officials from all major airlines will attend. They will examine the operational breakdown that caused the nationwide disruption. The meeting aims to ensure that such a crisis does not strike again. Sources said the ministry wants a strict plan from IndiGo on stabilizing operations.
IndiGo issued a late-night update on Monday. It claimed 90 percent on-time performance and said it operated 1,800 flights despite 450 cancellations. The airline added that it has refunded ₹827 crore to passengers for cancellations up to December 15. IndiGo insisted it is making steady progress toward recovery. It said it accelerated several internal processes and continues to resolve customer queries “on a war footing.”
During an interview with Doordarshan, the aviation minister shared more details. He said the government will keep pressure on IndiGo until normalcy returns. He noted that the airline has returned 6,000 of 9,000 stranded bags. He expects the remaining bags to reach passengers by Tuesday morning.
Later, the minister posted an update on X. He said he held a high-level review on Monday night. He directed senior officials to visit major airports. He asked them to inspect passenger services and identify gaps. He ordered immediate fixes for all issues raised by fliers.
Today’s meeting at Rajiv Bhawan will dig deeper. Officials will examine passenger load, customer care response and refund timelines. They will also review IndiGo’s plan to restore full capacity. Other airlines may raise concerns about airfare caps and route allocation.
To tighten oversight, the civil aviation ministry deployed 10 officials to key airports. They will remain there for the next few days. They will monitor passenger assistance and ensure steady operations.
At the regulatory level, pressure continues. The DGCA’s high-level committee summoned IndiGo’s top brass, including CEO Pieter Elbers. They must appear on Wednesday. IndiGo has submitted its reply to the show-cause notice. It expressed deep regret and offered “profuse apologies.” The airline blamed the disruption on a “compounding effect of multiple factors.” It sought more time for a detailed root-cause report.
IndiGo also highlighted its support measures. Between December 1 and 7, it arranged 9,500 hotel rooms and 10,000 cabs and buses for stranded travellers. It returned 4,500 misplaced bags and aims to deliver the rest within 36 hours.
The crisis has reached court as well. A plea before the Delhi High Court seeks immediate relief for stranded passengers. It also demands a judicial probe into the disruptions and asks the Centre to regulate fare spikes.
Meanwhile, the aviation ministry released fresh numbers. It said 5,86,705 bookings were cancelled and refunded between December 1 and 7, amounting to ₹569.65 crore. From November 21 to December 7, the total touched 9,55,591 cancellations, with refunds reaching ₹827 crore.
The government now wants clarity, accountability, and quick recovery. IndiGo faces its toughest test yet.
