DGCA gives IndiGo 24-hour final extension, mandates response today

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted IndiGo a one-time 24-hour extension to respond to the show cause notice issued on December 6, as the airline continues to grapple with severe operational turmoil. IndiGo must now file its reply by 6 pm on Monday, with the regulator stressing that no further extensions will be allowed.

The DGCA has cautioned that it will initiate ex parte proceedings if the airline fails to submit a complete explanation within the revised deadline. Officials said they remain focused on ensuring passenger safety, enforcing compliance, and restoring normal flight operations.

The notice, addressed to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers, followed days of widespread flight cancellations and delays that left thousands stranded across major airports. According to the regulator, the disruptions stemmed from poor planning and inadequate oversight, particularly in adapting to the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) for pilots. The DGCA said these gaps indicated potential violations of Rule 42A of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, which governs crew duty hours and mandatory rest requirements.

In addition, the airline was pulled up for failing to offer required support—such as timely information and assistance—to passengers affected by the chaos, breaching established passenger rights norms.

To address the mounting passenger grievances, IndiGo initiated automatic refunds for all cancelled flights and waived all rescheduling and cancellation charges for travel between December 5 and 15. The Civil Aviation Ministry instructed the airline to clear pending refunds by 8 pm on December 7.

Despite recovery efforts, cancellations persisted through Sunday, with around 400 flights grounded. IndiGo said it expects operations to progressively stabilise by December 10 and intends to operate roughly 1,650 flights under new rostering conditions.

As of Saturday, the airline had processed ₹610 crore in refunds and returned about 3,000 misplaced baggage items. Authorities indicated that although the network is recovering, corrective measures will remain active until normalcy is fully restored.

Operational strain intensified as IndiGo attempted to adjust to a tightened pilot roster and the rollout of the second phase of the new FDTL norms. Operating over 2,300 flights a day, the airline saw nearly 7% of its schedule disrupted over a 48-hour stretch.

IndiGo attributed the meltdown to a combination of: technology-related glitches, winter timetable adjustments, air traffic congestion, changes in crew scheduling rules, and weather disruptions from Cyclone Ditwah in southern India.

A report also suggested that an emergency software update applied to the A320 fleet at the end of November caused unexpected crew scheduling complications during an already strained period.

The airline issued a public apology and said it will conduct a detailed root cause analysis once service levels normalise.

Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport recorded 77 flight disruptions on Monday alone, with 38 incoming and 39 outgoing IndiGo flights cancelled. Mumbai and Delhi airports also reported heavy delays and cancellations.

Nationwide, IndiGo cancelled over 650 flights on Sunday. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said passengers endured “mental harassment and distress,” promising that accountability will be established.

InterGlobe Aviation, IndiGo’s parent company, has set up a Crisis Management Group to steer recovery efforts. Delhi saw 118 cancellations, while Mumbai reported 121, adding to the weekend’s travel chaos.