Show-cause notice to IndiGo as crisis deepens; airfares capped

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Saturday issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers seeking an explanation for the massive flight disruptions that caused severe inconvenience and distress to passengers.

The regulator attributed the chaos to the airline's failure to make adequate arrangements for the revised requirements under the approved Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) norms. The large-scale operational failures indicated significant lapses in planning, oversight and resource management, the regulator said in the notice.

“As the CEO, you have failed in your duty to ensure timely arrangements for conduct of reliable operations and the availability of requisite facilities to the passengers,” it said, directing Elbers to reply within 24 hours.

As the airline's operational breakdown left passengers stranded for a fifth consecutive day, the Centre moved to contain the crisis by imposing strict fare caps, directing immediate refunds and warning of regulatory action for any delays.

The airline, which cancelled over 800 flights on Saturday alone, has triggered one of the worst disruptions in recent years. Under the temporary price ceiling now in force, economy fares cannot exceed Rs 7,500 for routes up to 500 km, Rs 12,000 for 500-1,000 km, Rs 15,000 for 1,000-1,500 km and Rs 18,000 for distances beyond 1,500 km. These limits apply across airline websites and online travel portals until fares stabilise. The ministry said the cap was essential after witnessing “unreasonable” spikes as travellers scrambled for alternatives.

The government intervention, sources said, followed a high-level meeting between the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the DGCA, senior officials and IndiGo representatives, during which top functionaries verbally pressed for the removal of the airline’s CEO. The sources told The Tribune that the government was particularly displeased that the airline's prolonged crisis overshadowed media coverage during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit, diverting attention from a high-profile diplomatic engagement.

Alongside fare regulation, the government has mandated that IndiGo clear all pending refunds for cancelled or disrupted flights by 8 pm on December 7. Airlines have also been barred from levying rescheduling charges for affected passengers. Officials said any failure to comply with the refund deadline would invite immediate enforcement action.

IndiGo has been instructed to set up a dedicated support and refund facilitation system. The ministry said automatic refunds would continue until flight operations return to normal.

It said the airline must also ensure all baggage separated from passengers due to cancellations or misconnects was traced and delivered to their residence or chosen address within 48 hours. Airlines have been asked to maintain transparent communication on tracking and delivery and offer compensation where applicable under passenger rights norms.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the government had invoked its regulatory powers to ensure fairness at a time when passengers were vulnerable. He said the ministry would continue to monitor airfares across airlines and booking platforms. The official directive issued on Saturday also requires airlines to maintain ticket availability across fare buckets and consider additional capacity on routes witnessing heightened demand. IndiGo, in a statement, said it was working to stabilise operations and reduce delays. It said cancellations had dipped below 800 flights on Saturday and that schedules were expected to improve over the next few days.

Amid rising criticism, industry representatives alleged deeper structural failures. Nitin Jadhav, president of the Indian Association Council of Aviation, claimed the crisis stemmed from management decisions rather than pilot actions and alleged that the DGCA "looked the other way", calling for a probe into both the regulator and the airline.

Other carriers distanced themselves from the surge in fares. Air India said it had been voluntarily limiting economy fares on domestic routes since December 4 to avoid automated pricing spikes during the disruption.

Political pressure also mounted. Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule demanded that the Centre take action against IndiGo, arguing that the scale of cancellations had caused significant financial losses and inconvenience nationwide. She urged the government to ensure greater competition in the sector.

With thousands of passengers still stranded, the Railways has announced 22 special trains to manage the spillover rush triggered by the continued disruption in air travel. The unprecedented collapse follows weeks of rising strain within IndiGo's pilot workforce after the airline revised duty schedules under the relaxed FDTL norms. The new framework extended maximum duty hours and altered rest periods, leading to widespread fatigue-related grievances.

Tensions escalated further after a series of rostering changes last week, prompting large numbers of pilots to call in sick, sharply reducing crew availability and crippling the network. By mid-week, cancellations had crossed 1,000 a day, with severe delays rippling across the country. Saturday's numbers, though lower, still reflect a system far from stabilised. On December 5, the Ministry of Civil Aviation decided to place the revised FDTL Civil Aviation Requirements in abeyance.