Stranded passengers searched for their luggage near counters at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Friday after IndiGo cancelled more than 400 flights nationwide, compounding a week-long disruption that has triggered regulatory action and judicial scrutiny.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has directed IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers to appear before it at 3 PM on December 11 and present “comprehensive data and updates” on the airline’s operational breakdown. Senior officials from all relevant departments have also been asked to attend.
Despite Elbers’ December 9 claim that IndiGo was “back on the feet” and its operations “stable,” the airline on Wednesday cancelled over 60 flights from Bengaluru alone—35 arrivals and 26 departures, according to a source.
The cancellations came a day after the government slashed IndiGo’s winter flight schedule by 10 per cent, or around 220 flights out of 2,200 approved per day.
On Tuesday, IndiGo had cancelled 460 flights from six metros.
Elbers said in a video message that lakhs of customers had already received full refunds, though he offered no specific figures and remained silent on compensation for passengers whose flights were cancelled, delayed or rescheduled without consent.
Under the Civil Aviation Ministry’s passenger charter, airlines are required to provide compensation automatically in certain situations involving delays or cancellations.
IndiGo has cancelled thousands of flights since December 1 after failing to adequately prepare for tighter safety regulations, leading to widespread disruption, steep fare surges on other carriers, and airport congestion across the country.
As the situation persisted through December 5, the DGCA issued show-cause notices to Elbers and IndiGo Chief Operating Officer Isidro Proqueras, while the government also intervened to cap airfares.
On Tuesday, Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu said, “The Ministry considers it necessary to curtail the overall Indigo routes, which will help in stabilising the airline's operations and lead to reduced cancellations. A curtailment of 10 per cent has been ordered. While abiding by it, Indigo will continue to cover all its destinations as before.”