Government Crackdown and Refund Ultimatum
In an unprecedented move reflecting the gravity of the situation, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued a stern ultimatum to IndiGo, demanding the airline complete all pending passenger refunds for cancelled flights by 8:00 PM on Sunday, December 7, 2025. This decisive Civil Aviation Ministry directive came after a weekend of travel chaos, with over 1,000 of the airline’s flights being cancelled on December 5–6, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at major airports like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu emphasized that restoring normalcy is the government’s top priority, stating that authorities are now closely scrutinizing IndiGo’s entire operational framework.
Unpacking the “Operational Meltdown”
The widespread IndiGo flight cancellations triggered a severe crisis for the airline, which it attributed to a ‘multitude of unforeseen operational challenges’. At the heart of the issue were the newly implemented Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL norms), which regulate pilot work hours to prevent fatigue. IndiGo stated that the rollout of these rules led to a large number of pilots being simultaneously placed on compulsory rest, creating a sudden and unmanageable crew shortage that crippled its network. This explanation, however, raised serious questions about the airline’s preparedness and its overall airline crisis management strategy, as the chaos pointed to significant gaps in operational planning.
Investigation Launched as CEO Apologizes
As frustration mounted among passengers, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) stepped in, temporarily placing the controversial FDTL norms in abeyance to help stabilize the situation. The aviation regulator also announced a four-member panel to conduct a thorough DGCA probe into the root causes of the disruptions, signaling a deeper investigation into potential internal oversight failures at the airline. After three days of near-silence that amplified public anger, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers finally issued a video apology, expressing deep regret for the extensive inconvenience caused to customers, a move seen as a belated attempt to control the narrative and begin the process of rebuilding trust.
