Amid widespread disruptions caused by IndiGo’s large-scale flight cancellations, the civil aviation ministry on Saturday directed the airline to complete all pending ticket refunds for cancelled flights by Sunday evening and to return any baggage separated from passengers within 48 hours.
IndiGo, the country’s largest carrier, cancelled more than 1,000 flights over five consecutive days, triggering significant travel chaos. In response, the ministry warned that any delay or failure to comply with refund requirements would lead to “immediate regulatory action.”
According to the ministry’s statement, the refund process for every cancelled or disrupted flight “must be completed by 8 pm on Sunday.”
It added, "Airlines have also been instructed not to levy any rescheduling charges for passengers whose travel plans were affected by cancellations."
More than 400 flights were cancelled on Saturday alone across multiple airports.
The ministry has also directed IndiGo to establish dedicated passenger support and refund facilitation cells to manage the fallout.
"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.
"The system of automatic refunds will remain active until operations stabilise completely," the statement said.
Additionally, the ministry instructed the airline to locate and return all baggage that got separated from passengers due to cancellations or delays within the next two days.
