IndiGo flight chaos: Airline says 95 pc network restored, railways step in to clear mess

Priyanka Chaturvedi warns Govt against monopoly after IndiGo chaos

Shivb Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said the widespread IndiGo flight disruptions should serve as a strong reminder to the government about the dangers of allowing excessive market concentration in the aviation sector.

She stressed that the crisis reflects the consequences of creating conditions where one or two major players dominate essential services. Calling it a “lesson for the government,” Chaturvedi argued that monopoly and duopoly structures should never be allowed to form, especially in industries that directly impact millions of passengers, reported ANI.

She noted that the current situation has caused significant hardship for travellers and demonstrates how vulnerable the system becomes when competition is limited. According to her, the government must rethink its approach to regulating the aviation market to ensure greater diversity and resilience.

She emphasised that preventing such dominance is crucial to avoiding similar breakdowns in the future and protecting passenger interests during times of operational strain.

CPI’s D Raja blames IndiGo crisis on monopoly, seeks Govt action

Communist Party of India (CPI) General Secretary D. Raja on Saturday condemned the widespread IndiGo flight cancellations that left thousands stranded across the country. He said the crisis reflects the risks of allowing a single airline to dominate the sector, noting that rising fares and repeated disruptions have made travel increasingly difficult.

Speaking to ANI, Raja remarked, "This should be a lesson for the government and the people that if you allow monopoly companies to emerge, this is what we experience... The price of airline tickets are increasing, how will passengers face this situation? Government should own the responsibility for such a crisis in the country..."

Cancellations continued nationwide on Saturday, with over 100 IndiGo flights grounded across major airports, including Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Kolkata. Amid the mounting disruption, the Civil Aviation Ministry instructed IndiGo to process all pending refunds by 8 pm on December 7 and not impose rescheduling fees, warning of regulatory action for any delay.

Aviation body chief demands CBI probe into IndiGo, DGCA actions

Responding to the extensive IndiGo flight cancellations nationwide, Nitin Jadhav, President of the Indian Association Council of Aviation, strongly criticised both the airline and the regulator. He asserted that “The IndiGo management itself is responsible for this, not the pilots... The DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) is supporting them...”

Jadhav said the scale of the disruption raises serious concerns and called for an investigation into the airline’s operations as well as the regulator’s conduct. He stated, “I am demanding a CBI inquiry into the DGCA and IndiGo... There is a hidden agenda behind this...”

He further alleged regulatory negligence, adding, “The DGCA is not doing its work properly...”

Jadhav’s remarks reflect growing frustration within the aviation sector amid continued cancellations, which have left thousands of passengers stranded and prompted wider scrutiny of oversight and accountability in India’s civil aviation system.

Singapore envoy stranded, attends Jharkhand wedding online

Singapore High Commissioner Simon Wong was among the thousands of travellers left stranded by IndiGo’s wave of flight cancellations. Wong had planned to fly to Jharkhand to attend a staff member’s wedding, but was unable to travel because of the disruption.

As a result, he joined the ceremony virtually instead. He later posted his congratulations to the couple on X, marking the occasion online despite the setback.

Centre orders IndiGo to speed up refunds, return lost baggage

With IndiGo’s widespread flight cancellations affecting thousands of travellers across the country, the Civil Aviation Ministry on Saturday directed the airline to complete all pending ticket refunds for cancelled services by Sunday evening.

The ministry stressed that passengers should not face delays in receiving their money back, given the scale of the disruption. Additionally, IndiGo has been instructed to ensure that any baggage separated from travellers during the cancellations or delays is traced and delivered within the next two days.

The directives come as the airline continues to struggle with operational challenges that have caused significant inconvenience nationwide.

IndiGo asked to boost passenger support, maintain auto-refund system

IndiGo has been directed to introduce dedicated support units to help passengers affected by its widespread flight cancellations, according to an official press release. The airline must establish specialised passenger assistance and refund facilitation cells designed to streamline communication and service recovery.

“These cells have been tasked to proactively contact affected passengers and ensure that refunds and alternative travel arrangements are processed without the need for multiple follow-ups," stated an official release as quoted by the Hindustan Times.

The release further emphasised IndiGo’s responsibility to maintain simplified refund procedures during the disruption. It stated that “the system of automatic refunds will remain active until operations stabilise completely,” underscoring the need for efficient compensation without passengers having to repeatedly seek updates.

These measures aim to reduce inconvenience for travellers who have experienced cancellations or schedule changes, ensuring that the airline provides timely information, support, and reimbursements throughout the operational crisis.

Air India caps domestic fares, adds capacity amid travel surge

Air India and Air India Express announced that, beginning December 4, they have placed proactive caps on economy fares for non-stop domestic routes to avoid the surge in prices typically triggered by demand-based revenue systems.

Explaining the move, a spokesperson noted, “We are aware of screenshots of last-minute itineraries with one-stop or two-stop flights or a combination of economy and premium economy or business cabins taken from third-party platforms. It is not technically possible to cap all such permutations, but we are engaging such platforms to exercise oversight," reported the Hindustan Times.

The spokesperson further stated that “Air India and Air India Express are seeking to add capacity to help travellers and their baggage reach their destinations as quickly as possible,” emphasising that the airlines are working to ease passenger movement amid heightened travel pressure.

Passengers lose cool at Mumbai Airport over IndiGo flight cancellations

IndiGo passengers at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport grew visibly frustrated as nationwide flight cancellations continued, leading to a tense confrontation with airline staff at the ticket counter. Travellers, already impacted by widespread disruptions across the country, raised their complaints sharply as tempers flared.

Supriya Sule demands action as IndiGo flight chaos deepens

NCP MP Supriya Sule on Saturday demanded action against IndiGo after hundreds of its flights were cancelled over five days, leaving thousands of passengers across the country struggling.

More than 400 flights were cancelled on Saturday alone, after over 1,000 were scrapped on Friday. Sule said, "The Union government must take action against IndiGo. Thousands of people have faced difficulties in the last two days. We have raised this issue in Parliament."

She urged the Centre to clarify the causes behind the airline’s crisis, adding that the disruption had caused major financial and time losses. Sule said the government should promote more airlines and explain in Parliament why IndiGo’s services collapsed.

(With agency inputs)

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