NEW DELHI: Facing criticism for its management of the IndiGo crisis, the government announced on Monday that it would set a precedent for other airlines by taking “very, very strict action” against the budget carrier once the investigation into the significant flight disruptions concludes. Union aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu stated in the Rajya Sabha on Monday that the unprecedented disruption stemmed from an “internal crisis” within the airline. Furthermore, Naidu pointed out that the duopoly situation involving the Air India Group and IndiGo has exacerbated the already challenging circumstances, emphasizing the need for more airlines in India. “We anticipate that demand will grow at such a pace that we require additional airlines in the market… Currently, India has the capacity for five major airlines. While we are currently discussing two airlines, the demand being generated in India necessitates the establishment of five major airlines,” he remarked, asserting that this is “the opportune moment to launch an airline in India.” Naidu expressed the government’s desire for “more pillars” in the industry to mitigate concentration and enhance resilience. “There is substantial growth occurring. Therefore, let us all support the entry of more airlines into this sector alongside the government,” he stated. “We are not treating this situation lightly. We are conducting an inquiry… The revised flight duty time limitation (FDTL) was implemented following a High Court order in April 2025. Out of the 22 guidelines, 15 were put into effect on July 1, with the remaining seven implemented on November 1. Extensive consultations were conducted with all stakeholders, including IndiGo, and adherence to the rules was mandatory without compromising safety,” Naidu explained. He added that the DGCA “has been in ongoing discussions with airlines since the FDTL was fully enforced and has granted limited exemptions based on operational variations and safety evaluations.” The crisis emerged “almost a full month” after the November 1 implementation, and IndiGo did not raise any urgent concerns during a meeting with the ministry on December 1. “This is a daily operation that IndiGo should have managed… We prioritize the well-being of pilots, crew, and passengers. We have communicated clearly with all airlines. IndiGo was tasked with managing the crew and scheduling. Passengers encountered numerous challenges. We are not treating this situation lightly.
Current status: IndiGo is rapidly returning to a state of near normalcy, with the airline indicating that it anticipates operating over 1,800 flights on Monday. “We have streamlined our operations and successfully decreased the number of cancellations, which are being communicated to customers ahead of time. Our on-time performance has risen to 91% across the network.”
“Rs 827 crore has already been refunded, and the remaining amount is in process for cancellations up to December 15, 2025. More than 4,500 bags have been returned to their respective owners, and we are on schedule to deliver the remaining bags within the next 36 hours,” stated IndiGo. The Union aviation ministry reported that approximately 5.9 lakh PNRs for travel between December 1 and 7 have been cancelled, with refunds totaling around Rs 570 crore already issued.
