Latest in IndiGo Fiasco: Civil Aviation Ministry summons airline officials, management likely under watch, say sources

According to sources, a major development has emerged in the ongoing IndiGo crisis. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has summoned senior IndiGo officials for a meeting at 6 pm, indicating the seriousness of the situation.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has also been briefed on the matter, reflecting heightened government attention. With widespread disruptions continuing, strict action against IndiGo’s flight operations and possible measures against the airline’s management cannot be ruled out.

All pending refunds to be completed by Sunday

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In a strong directive, the Ministry has ordered IndiGo to complete all pending passenger refunds by 8 pm on Sunday, December 7. The ministry warned that any delay or failure to comply will result in immediate regulatory action.

Airlines have also been instructed not to charge rescheduling fees for passengers whose travel plans were affected by cancellations.

Ensure additional passenger support measures

To protect passenger rights during the ongoing disruption, the government has mandated:

1) Baggage delivery within 48 hours

IndiGo must trace and deliver all misplaced or separated baggage to passengers’ homes or preferred addresses within 48 hours. Airlines are required to maintain clear communication regarding tracking and delivery and provide compensation wherever applicable.

2) 24×7 helpdesk & support cells

IndiGo has been ordered to:

• Establish 24×7 passenger helplines
• Set up dedicated support and refund facilitation cells
• Proactively contact affected passengers
• Ensure refunds and alternative travel arrangements are processed without multiple follow-ups
• Automatic refunds will continue until operations are fully normalised.

3) Passenger assistance at airports

Airlines must ensure:

• Hotel accommodation
• Meals
• Alternative transport for stranded travellers.

Special facilitation is required for:

• Senior citizens
• Differently-abled passengers
• Students
• Patients
• Any traveller requiring urgent movement

What did IndiGo say?

IndiGo, through an official release, said that the airline is working diligently to bring its operations back on track across the network. The airline is focused on stabilising schedules, reducing delays, and supporting customers through this period.

"Today, the number of cancellations has dropped below 850 flights, much lower compared to yesterday. We’re continuing to work towards reducing this number progressively over the next few days," IndiGo said.

We are addressing all customer refunds on priority. We are also working closely with all airports and partners to ensure timely updates are provided to customers at terminals, on our website, and via direct notifications.

The airline strongly urged the customers to check the latest flight status before proceeding to the airport.

"IndiGo sincerely apologises for the inconvenience caused to our customers and remains focused on restoring normalcy across our operations at the earliest," the release read.

Fare caps imposed

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued a set of strict official directives to all Indian airlines, mandating immediate compliance with fare regulations and passenger-centric rules as flight disruptions continue across the sector.

In the public interest, it has been decided that airlines cannot charge passengers beyond the specified maximum fares: Rs 7,500 for distances up to 500 km, Rs 12,000 for 500–1000 km, Rs 15,000 for 1000–1500 km, and Rs 18,000 for distances above 1500 km, the ministry said.

These limits exclude UDF, PSF, and taxes, and do not apply to Business Class and RCS UDAAN flights. The fare caps will remain effective until fares stabilise or until further review, and apply to all forms of booking, whether direct or through travel agents or online platforms.

According to the ministry, all airlines are required to strictly adhere to the prescribed fare caps, which have been formally implemented to maintain market discipline.

The ministry stated that the purpose of this measure is to:

1) Prevent passenger exploitation during the ongoing crisis

2) Maintain price discipline in the market

3) Protect citizens undertaking essential travel—especially senior citizens, students, and patients—from financial hardship

Multiple IndiGo flights cancelled at Jaipur airport

Flight disruptions continue for IndiGo for the fifth consecutive day, primarily due to a severe crew shortage.

At Jaipur Airport, several IndiGo flights scheduled for Saturday morning were cancelled, including:

6E-839 to Bengaluru (5:35 am)

6E-752 to Hyderabad (6:10 am)

6E-748 to Guwahati (6:40 am)

6E-6592 to Mumbai (7:20 am)

6E-207 to Kolkata (7:35 am)

6E-6568 to Kolkata (11:00 am)

Cancellations at Chennai airport

Chennai Airport faced major disruption on Saturday, with 48 flights cancelled across the day, affecting travel to major cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, Visakhapatnam, Guwahati, Port Blair, Lucknow, Pune, and others.

Most cancellations were from IndiGo, which has announced that disruptions may continue until December 10. Flights to Kochi, Bhubaneswar, Patna, Thiruvananthapuram, and Kolkata were also removed from the schedule.

While many larger aircraft services were cancelled, ATR flights continued operating on routes to Madurai, Salem, Vijayawada, Tiruchirappalli, Thoothukudi, and Bengaluru. ATR passengers remain exempt from landing and departure charges, though a Rs 1,500 service fee still applies.

Cancellations occurred throughout the day—morning, afternoon, and late evening—impacting flights to major metros and tier-II destinations. Key flights to Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Delhi, Coimbatore, Ahmedabad, Pune, Kochi, and Kolkata were among those affected.

Airport authorities have advised passengers to check updated schedules and either reschedule or request refunds as per airline rules.