The Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued two urgent directives to airlines, particularly IndiGo, to address the severe disruptions affecting flight schedules across the country.
The ministry said the measures are aimed at restoring stability “without delay” and easing the difficulties faced by passengers.
The flight operations are expected to begin stabilising by midnight tonight, with full normalcy anticipated within the next couple of days.
“It is expected that all flight schedules would stabilise and begin returning to normal midnight tonight and full services and stability should return over the next couple of days. In the event of flight cancellation IndiGo will ensure automatic full refund for tickets. A 24×7 control room at Ministry of Civil Aviation is constantly monitoring the situation on real time basis,” said the ministry in a statement.
Under the new instructions:
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Passengers will be able to monitor delays from home using updated information systems deployed by IndiGo and other carriers.
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Automatic full refunds will be issued to travellers in the event of flight cancellations.
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Stranded passengers will be accommodated in hotels arranged by the airlines.
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Senior citizens will receive special assistance, including access to airport lounges.
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Refreshments and basic necessities will be provided to passengers of delayed flights.
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A 24×7 control room at the ministry is overseeing the situation in real time.
The ministry emphasised that the Central Government remains “fully alert” to passenger concerns and is in continual consultation with all stakeholders.
It added that all possible steps — including regulatory exemptions announced by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday — will be taken to restore schedules and ensure service stability.
IndiGo disruptions trigger airfare surge
IndiGo’s widespread flight cancellations have caused a sharp jump in domestic airfares, with last-minute ticket prices on several key routes doubling overnight as passengers rushed to find alternatives.
Data from MakeMyTrip (MMT) shows the cheapest Delhi–Bengaluru fare for December 6 crossing Rs 40,000, with some options exceeding Rs 80,000. On the Delhi–Guwahati route, fares ranged from Rs 23,998 to Rs 35,015.
In contrast, international travel is significantly cheaper. A Delhi–Dubai flight for the same date costs around Rs 25,855, a Bengaluru–Dubai ticket is available for about Rs 15,000, and Delhi–Bangkok fares start near Rs 18,747.
On the Delhi–Mumbai route, prices have surged to Rs 36,107–56,000, while Delhi–Chennai last-minute fares touched Rs 62,000–82,000, according to MMT.
The chaos follows over 500 IndiGo flights being delayed or cancelled nationwide, leading to crowded terminals and stranded passengers. All IndiGo departures from Delhi Airport were halted until midnight, though other carriers continued operating.
Travel platforms indicate fares should ease in the coming days, with significantly lower prices already visible for December 9–12.
To stabilise operations, the DGCA has granted IndiGo a one-time temporary exemption from two rules on late duty and late-night operations until February 10, 2026.
Passengers across major airports voiced anger over the disruption, citing poor communication and inadequate assistance.
Truly sorry, says IndiGo
Meanwhile, IndiGo on Friday issued a detailed public apology as it confirmed the full-day cancellation of all domestic departures from Delhi Airport (DEL) on Friday, following severe nationwide operational disruptions.
Acknowledging the scale of the crisis, the airline admitted it was facing a “serious operational crisis” that had resulted in mass cancellations, long queues and limited passenger communication.
In its statement, IndiGo said, “To each one of our customers – We are truly sorry and we will take care. We deeply apologise and understand how difficult the past few days have been for many of you. While this will not get resolved overnight, we assure you that we will do everything in our capacity to help you in the meantime and to bring our operations back to normal at the earliest.”
The carrier noted that December 5 would record the “highest number of cancellations” as it conducts a system-wide reboot intended to stabilise schedules beginning the next day.
IndiGo outlined several passenger support measures, stating, “We will ensure that all refunds for your cancellations will be processed automatically to your original mode of payment. Full waiver on all cancellations/reschedule requests for bookings between December 5-15, 2025.”
The airline added that “thousands of hotel rooms and surface transport” have been arranged for stranded travellers, with food, snacks and lounge access for senior citizens being provided wherever possible.
IndiGo urged passengers not to head to the airport if their flight is cancelled, advising them to use its website and AI assistant for real-time updates, refunds and rebookings.
The airline also said it has significantly expanded its customer support capacity, noting, “We want you to know that you will see incremental progress. We will do everything to earn back your trust… We can’t lose it at any cost.”
With inputs from agencies
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