IndiGo flight chaos: Airline says 95 pc network restored, railways step in to clear mess
Centre asks IndiGo to complete refunds for cancelled flights by Sunday evening, caps airfares; railways run 84 special trains to give relief to stranded fliers
IndiGo cancelled over 800 flights on Saturday (December 6), the fifth day of the ongoing crisis, even as the government imposed a cap on airfares and directed the airline to process all refunds by Sunday evening. The government said regulatory action will be initiated against the airline in case of any non-compliance.
The airline’s on-time performance from six metro airports plunged to 3.7 per cent on Friday, shows the civil aviation ministry website. It cancelled over 1,000 flights on Friday.
With IndiGo flight disruptions impacting thousands of passengers, the civil aviation ministry on Saturday directed the airline to complete the ticket refund process for the cancelled flights by Sunday evening, and ensure baggage separated from the travellers are delivered in the next two days.
The refund process for all cancelled or disrupted flights must be completed by 8 pm on Sunday, the civil aviation ministry said in a statement. “Airlines have also been instructed not to levy any rescheduling charges for passengers whose travel plans were affected by cancellations,” it said.
Under the airfare cap imposed on airlines, for a flight flying up to 500 kilometres, the fares are capped at Rs 7,500 and for 500-1,000 kilometres, the ticket price cap is Rs 12,000. For flights operating 1,000-1,500 kilometres, the fares are limited at Rs 15,000 and for above, 1,500 kilometres, the cap is Rs 18,000. The limits will be in place till the situation stabilises, the ministry said.
Meanwhile, the Railways announced 84 special trains across all zones for Saturday to help people stranded due to the mass flight cancellations.
IndiGo said the number of cancellations on Saturday “dropped below 850 flights, much lower compared to Friday”. “We are continuing to work towards reducing this number progressively over the next few days,” it added.
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Live Updates
- 6 Dec 2025 3:38 PM IST
Digvijaya Singh seeks probe into IndiGo flight disruptions
Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Congress MP Digvijaya Singh criticised the ongoing wave of IndiGo cancellations, noting that the airline, “once considered a very reliable airline, is going through a rough patch.” He said “no clear statement has come from either the government or the airline’s management,” leaving travellers confused and anxious.
Singh recalled facing a delay himself on a recent trip to Delhi, where he saw passengers panicking as they struggled to get information. Stressing the need for clarity and accountability, he said “what went wrong must come to the fore,” adding that growing privatisation has eroded transparency. He urged authorities to act, insisting “there must be a thorough investigation into this matter.”
- 6 Dec 2025 3:35 PM IST
IndiGo flight cancellations in Jammu leave travellers stranded
IndiGo cancelled several flights at Jammu Airport on Saturday, with three of 10 scheduled services grounded and another delayed, adding to nationwide disruptions. Passengers voiced anger over repeated last-minute changes.
A traveller from Delhi said she had already faced problems earlier and missed a wedding due to cancellations, adding, "I am glad it has started today....there was a lot of harassment two days before...I was travelling from Delhi to Jammu for a wedding, but I was not able to attend the wedding...all the money and time were wasted...They have spoiled my occasion..."," reported ANI.
Kashish, another passenger, said his aunt had been stranded for hours and criticised the airline’s handling, stating, "since yesterday we are struggling...we are not receiving clear updates…" Similar issues were reported at airports in Chandigarh and Patna, where passengers described repeated cancellations and lack of assistance. Major hubs including Hyderabad, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Kolkata also recorded extensive IndiGo cancellations, leaving many travellers waiting for clearer communication and support.
- 6 Dec 2025 3:28 PM IST
Congress blames Centre, regulator for IndiGo flight crisis
As IndiGo continues struggling to restore normal operations, the Congress sharply criticised the Centre and the Civil Aviation Ministry for failing to anticipate and manage the crisis.
Speaking to reporters, Congress MP Shashikant Senthil said the government had taken no meaningful steps despite warning signs. He argued that the Flight Duty Time Limitation rules issued in early 2024 gave airlines ample time to adjust, questioning why the DGCA did not ensure compliance.
Senthil said both the regulator and the ministry knew a major airline was unprepared but allowed the situation to escalate. He also alleged that the government permitted the aviation sector to narrow into a duopoly and raised concerns about IndiGo’s treatment by regulators. Former minister P. Chidambaram echoed these concerns, saying the cancellations reflect the consequences of a duopolistic market.
Amid the chaos caused by IndiGo’s widespread cancellations, the aviation ministry directed the airline to complete all pending refunds by 8 pm on December 7 and not impose rescheduling fees.
- 6 Dec 2025 3:11 PM IST
Southern Railway announces special trains after IndiGo flight chaos
Southern Railway announced on Saturday that it will run special services to manage the surge in passengers after IndiGo cancelled numerous flights over the past few days. Special trains will operate on the Chennai Egmore-Charlapalli and Secunderabad-Chennai Egmore routes, while selected long-distance services will receive an extra coach to accommodate increased demand.
Train No. 06019 will depart Chennai Egmore at 23:55 on Saturday, reaching Charlapalli at 14:00 on December 7. “In the return direction, Train No. 06020 Charlapalli-Chennai Egmore Express Special will leave Charlapalli at 18.00 hrs on 07th December, 2025 (Sunday) and reach Chennai Egmore at 08.30 hrs, the next day,” the release said, as quoted by PTI.
An additional AC three-tier coach will be attached to the Tiruchchirappalli-Jodhpur Humsafar Express, Dr MGR Chennai Central-Thiruvananthapuram Superfast Express and the Mumbai CST-Chennai Beach Superfast Express between December 6 and 10. The measures offer relief as IndiGo cancelled more than 400 flights on Saturday, prompting government oversight to address the disruption.\
(With agency inputs)
- 6 Dec 2025 3:01 PM IST
SCR adds special trains as IndiGo cancellations snarl travel
South Central Railway announced on Saturday that it would operate four special trains to handle the surge in travellers affected by the mass cancellation of IndiGo flights.
The move follows major disruption and long queues at the airport as numerous services were cancelled. In a press release, SCR said the additional trains would help clear the excess passenger traffic from Hyderabad to Chennai, Mumbai and Shalimar (Kolkata) today.
- 6 Dec 2025 2:55 PM IST
IndiGo ordered to complete refunds after major flight disruptions
IndiGo’s widespread flight disruptions have affected thousands of travellers, prompting the civil aviation ministry on Saturday (December 6) to order the airline to finish issuing refunds for all cancelled services by Sunday evening and to return any misplaced baggage within 48 hours.
The directive came a day after the country’s largest carrier scrapped over 1,000 flights, causing a fifth consecutive day of operational chaos. The ministry warned that any delay or failure to process refunds would lead to swift regulatory action.
According to its statement, refunds for cancelled or disrupted flights must be completed by 8 pm on Sunday, and passengers whose journeys were impacted should not be charged rescheduling fees.
More than 400 additional flights were cancelled on Saturday alone. Authorities have also told IndiGo to establish dedicated support and refund units to proactively assist travellers, with automatic refunds continuing until operations fully stabilise.
(With agency inputs)
