Over 400 IndiGo flights cancelled; Supreme Court says no need for intervention
The airline has cancelled hundreds of flights, issued Rs 610 crore in refunds, and launched a root cause analysis while the crisis group monitors recovery
More than 400 IndiGo flights were cancelled on Monday (December 8) as the airline’s operational crisis continued for the seventh straight day, even as the Supreme Court declined to hear a PIL on the disruptions, observing that necessary steps appeared to have been taken to manage the situation. IndiGo, India’s largest airline, has been grappling with widespread operational issues since last Tuesday, leading to hundreds of cancellations and major rescheduling across its network.
Earlier, aviation watchdog DGCA on Sunday gave more time to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and the Accountable Manager Isidro Porqueras to submit their responses to the show causes notices seeking their explanations on the flight disruptions.
Both have been granted 24 hours more or time till 6 pm on Monday to submit their replies, a senior official said on Sunday.
For six days in a row, IndiGo flight operations have been significantly disrupted resulting in massive flight cancellations and delays impacting travel plans of thousands of passengers. Against this backdrop, the regulator had issued the show cause notices.
Also read | IndiGo ramps up operations, issues Rs 610 crore in refunds after week-long disruptions
In the show cause notices issued on Saturday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had asked Elbers and Porqueras to give their replies by Sunday evening. The official said the deadline for replies were extended following requests from both the airline executives.
The two executives on Sunday had sought additional time for a response citing operational constraints due to the scale of its nationwide operations and multiple unavoidable factors that contributed to disruptions across several airports, the official said.
Crisis group monitors situation
Meanwhile, IndiGo on Sunday cancelled over 650 flights while the disrupted operations were slowly stabilising as the number of cancellations reduced and more than Rs 610 crore worth ticket refunds were processed for the affected passengers.
While IndiGo will carry out a "root cause analysis" into flight disruptions that continued for the sixth consecutive day, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said passengers have endured mental harassment and distress due to the operational crisis and assured that steps are being taken to ensure accountability is fixed.
The board of IndiGo's parent InterGlobe Aviation has set up a Crisis Management Group (CMG), which is meeting regularly to monitor the situation, an announcement said on Sunday.
The airline expects operations to stabilise by December 10.
Ministry steps up oversight
The civil aviation ministry, which has taken various measures, including capping airfares and directing IndiGo to expedite ticket refund process, on Sunday said air travel operations across the country are stabilising at a fast pace.
The civil aviation ministry, which has taken various measures, including capping airfares and directing IndiGo to expedite ticket refund process, on Sunday said air travel operations across the country are stabilising at a fast pace.
The ministry also said IndiGo has processed Rs 610 crore refunds and delivered 3,000 pieces of baggage to passengers across the country as of Saturday.
Airlines begins ‘root cause analysis’
In a video message to the staff, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said, "step by step, we are getting back" and that the airline's on time performance (OTP) is expected to be 75 per cent.
Also read | IndiGo crisis: Govt caps airfares, not to exceed Rs 18,000
The OTP, an indicator of punctuality, was 20.7 per cent on Saturday, as per the latest official data.
A senior airline official on Sunday told PTI that it will do a "root cause analysis" and asserted that the carrier has adequate number of pilots and there is no deficiency.
"Our pilot numbers are fine while we may not be having the luxury of a buffer," the official told PTI.
He also said there has been no hiring freeze amid concerns being raised in certain quarters that lean-operating model might have led to the current situation.
(With agency inputs)
Live Updates
- 8 Dec 2025 1:29 PM IST
Mamata Banerjee slams Centre over Indigo crisis, says passengers left helpless
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the Indigo flight cancellations, stating that the public has been left without alternatives as a large number of flights have stopped operating. She described the situation as a disaster, noting that thousands of passengers are stranded at airports and experiencing severe mental distress.
Mamata urged the Government of India to devise a plan to resolve the crisis, arguing that the BJP government is uninterested in issues affecting the country and its people and is instead focused on tightening control over institutions.
- 8 Dec 2025 1:24 PM IST
Passengers's luggage left stranded at Delhi airport amid Indigo flight cancellations
Visuals from Terminal 1 of Indira Gandhi International Airport show IndiGo passengers’ luggage left unattended amid widespread flight cancellations and delays.
- 8 Dec 2025 1:12 PM IST
Opposition demands statement from government
The opposition on Monday demanded in the Lok Sabha that the government should inform the country about what it is doing in the wake of the IndiGo flight disruptions and the inconvenience being faced by the people at various airports across the country.
Speaker Om Birla said Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu will give a detailed statement on the matter in the Lower House on Monday or Tuesday.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha soon after the Question Hour, Congress' deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said, "Through you (the Speaker), we request the government that the Civil Aviation Ministry should tell the country through this House that why people in all airports across the country since many days (are facing trouble), there are dialysis patients, people who have weddings in their house, people who want to reach their elderly, there is chaos at the airports." "We were told that even people wearing Hawai chappals will travel in airplanes but prices have soared to Rs 20,000, coffee (at airports) is for Rs 250 and planes are delayed. Therefore, the government should tell us what is it doing," he said.
The Opposition has been attacking the government over the IndiGo flight disruptions and blaming it for the "unprecedented crisis". PTI
- 8 Dec 2025 12:13 PM IST
Mehbooba Mufti slams BJP for 'empty symbolism' amid Indigo flight chaos
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday (December 8) said the BJP at the Centre was busy in "empty symbolism" instead of addressing emergent issues like the crisis caused by turmoil in IndiGo airlines.
In a post on X, Mehbooba said, "Parliament is busy sparring over a two-hundred-year-old Vande Mataram even as Indigo passengers are left stranded and desperate for answers. Instead of confronting the crises hurting people right now BJP seems intent on indulging in empty symbolism".
The former chief minister was referring to the cancellation of hundreds of flights by IndiGo since December 2, citing regulatory changes in the pilots' flight duty and regulations norms. The disruptions have left lakhs of passengers stranded at airports across the country.
- 8 Dec 2025 11:54 AM IST
Delhi HC to hear on Dec 10 plea seeking govt support for affected passengers
he Delhi High Court on Monday listed for hearing on December 10 a plea seeking directions to the Centre to provide support and refunds to passengers affected by the cancellation of hundreds of flights by IndiGo.
The petition was mentioned for urgent hearing before a bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela.
The counsel for the petitioner said they have filed a PIL on the IndiGo crisis issue. "Several people are stuck. The ground situation at airports is inhumane. We are expecting the court to pass orders to IndiGo and ground support staff for people stranded at the airports. There is no proper system for refunds," he said.
When the court pointed out that the government has already passed some directions in the matter, the counsel responded in the affirmative.
The bench said the PIL will be listed for hearing on Wednesday. PTI
- 8 Dec 2025 11:08 AM IST
Supreme Court rejects urgent plea on IndiGo flight cancellations
The Supreme Court has refused an urgent mention of the plea seeking intervention in the IndiGo flight cancellations issue, stating that the government has already taken cognisance of the matter and initiated action.
The plea was mentioned by an advocate who noted that around 2,500 flights had been delayed across 95 airports in the country, causing significant hardship to passengers.
“We understand that lakhs of people are stranded. Some may have urgent commitments and are unable to proceed… But the Government of India has taken cognisance of the issue, and timely steps appear to have been taken. We do not see any urgency at this stage,” Chief Justice Surya Kant observed.
- 8 Dec 2025 11:05 AM IST
IndiGo cancels 5 flights at Thiruvananthapuram airport
In Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, IndiGo has so far cancelled two arrivals and three departures, while one arrival and two departures have operated, according to ANI, quoting the Thiruvananthapuram Airport PRO.
- 8 Dec 2025 10:56 AM IST
IndiGo cancels over 250 flights from Delhi, Bengaluru
Over 250 IndiGo flights were cancelled from Delhi and Bengaluru airports on Monday as the disruptions in the crisis-hit airline's flight operations entered the seventh day, sources said.
IndiGo has cancelled 251 flights from Delhi and Bengaluru airports on Monday, sources said. At the Delhi airport, 134 flights were cancelled -- 75 departures and 59 arrivals -- while at the Bengaluru airport, the carrier cancelled 117 services -- 65 arrivals and 62 departures, they said.
- 8 Dec 2025 10:07 AM IST
IndiGo flight disruptions enter seventh day; over 350 flights cancelled
More than 350 IndiGo flights were cancelled across multiple airports on Monday (December 8), as operations at the country’s largest airline were still far from normal.
Flight disruptions at IndiGo entered the seventh day as the Gurugram-based airline, partially-owned by Rahul Bhatia, has been facing heat from both the government and the passengers for cancelling hundreds of flights since December 2, citing regulatory changes in the pilots' new flight duty and regulations norms, which resulted in lakhs of passengers getting stuck at airports pan-India.
DGCA on Sunday (December 7) extended the time by Monday 6 pm for IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and Chief Operating Officer and Accountable Manager Isidro Porqueras to submit reply to its show cause notice over the ongoing disruptions in the airline’s operations.
In the notices issued to the airline on Saturday (December 6), the regulatory body said the large-scale operational failures pointed to significant lapses in planning, oversight, and resource management, and asked them to submit their replies within 24 hours.
- 8 Dec 2025 10:01 AM IST
IndiGo cancels 77 flights at Hyderabad airport
A total of 77 IndiGo flights were reportedly disrupted at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) on Monday (December 8), with 38 arrivals and 39 departures cancelled, according to airport authorities. This follows broader operational disruptions within IndiGo Airlines.
