IndiGo Under Regulatory Fire As DGCA Issues Show-Cause Notice Over Network-Wide Disruptions, Seeks Response Within 24 Hours

India’s aviation crisis escalated on Saturday (6 December) as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers over the airline’s delays, cancellations and operational breakdowns, India Today reported.

The aviation regulator has set a 24-hour deadline for him to respond, cautioning that a delay could lead to punitive measures.

The DGCA stated that daily disruptions involving hundreds of cancellations caused “severe inconvenience, hardship and distress” to passengers.

As per the notice, the “primary cause” of the collapse was IndiGo’s non-provisioning of essential arrangements required for smooth implementation of the approved FDTL scheme.

The watchdog further noted that the widespread operational breakdown reflected “significant lapses in planning, oversight and resource management.”

The notice added that IndiGo failed to provide passengers with the information and facilities mandated during cancellations, long delays and denied boarding.

The regulator squarely placed responsibility on the CEO, stating that he “failed in his duty” to ensure reliable operations and to provide the facilities passengers are entitled to.

This action represents the most stringent intervention so far as as IndiGo’s disruptions stretch into the fifth consecutive day and passenger distress intensifies across major airports.

The notice followed massive flight cancellations and delays that severely impacted IndiGo’s network, with hundreds of flights cancelled.

Travellers in multiple cities reported long queues, missed connections and baggage disruptions as the airline struggles with serious operational instability.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has instructed IndiGo to clear all pending refunds by Sunday evening and reunite separated baggage within two days.

The ministry also asked the airline to establish dedicated passenger-support and refund-facilitation cells to address complaints and share real-time updates.

Senior IndiGo officials met civil aviation ministry authorities on Saturday to outline measures being taken to stabilise operations and prevent further cancellations.

With disruptions continuing, the Air India Group, including Air India and Air India Express, has introduced multiple measures to support stranded passengers.

The airlines capped economy fares on domestic non-stop flights, extended a one-time waive on change and cancellation fees for eligible bookings, added staff at contact centres and expanded seat availability on several routes.

Where possible, eligible economy passengers are being upgraded to higher cabins without extra charges to maximise seat utilisation.

Extra flights are also being operated to help passengers and their baggage reach destinations at the earliest.

Also Read: IndiGo Operational Crisis: Government Invokes Regulatory Powers To Cap Airfares Amid Sharp Ticket Price Surge