DGCA Orders IndiGo to Trim 5% Flights as Chaos Eases
DGCA Orders IndiGo to Trim 5% Flights as Chaos Eases
DGCA orders IndiGo to trim 5% of its winter schedule amid disruptions; airline says operations fully restored with 90% on-time performance.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked IndiGo to cut back 5% of its winter schedule across sectors, with emphasis on high-demand routes. The regulator said the carrier did “not demonstrate the ability to operate these schedules efficiently,” and urged a revised plan to be submitted by December 10. In response, IndiGo asserted that its network is fully restored and that on-time performance is hovering around 90% across the network, signaling a return to normal operations after the recent disruption.
Official data show 64,346 flights were approved for IndiGo under the winter schedule for November, yet the airline cancelled 951 flights in the same month. The government’s intervention aims to restore reliability on key routes and prevent a repeat of the chaos that left thousands stranded. In a brief update, IndiGo said it had operated about 1,800 flights on Sunday, up from around 1,650 previously, underscoring that the network is adapting and gradually stabilizing.
Beyond flight operations, IndiGo highlighted passenger care measures taken during the disruption: refunds worth hundreds of crores have been processed, and the airline notified all cancellations in a timely manner. To assist affected travelers, the company arranged more than 9,500 hotel rooms for passengers between December 1 and 7, mobilised almost 10,000 cabs, and delivered over 4,500 bags, with the remainder slated for delivery shortly. The airline apologized “profusely” for the inconvenience but argued that pinpointing the exact root cause of the disruptions was not feasible at that moment.
The aviation ministry has emphasized accountability, with Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu indicating that an inquiry into lapses is underway and that exemplary action will be taken against those responsible for the mess. He noted that IndiGo did not flag issues in a stakeholder meeting about the new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules, which took effect on November 1 and were reportedly backed by the industry at the time. As the government reviews the situation, industry observers say the episode underscores the need for contingency planning, tighter scheduling oversight, and increased competition to prevent over-reliance on a single carrier.
Cover image source: Aviation Minister On IndiGo Mayhem: Inquiring Into Lapses, Will Set An Example For The Industry 🔗
