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The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has imposed penalties amounting to Rs 22.20 crore on IndiGo Airlines following widespread flight disruptions in early December 2025 that affected more than three lakh passengers across the country.
The action follows a comprehensive inquiry ordered by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) after IndiGo cancelled 2,507 flights and delayed 1,852 others between December 3 and 5, 2025. A four-member committee constituted by the DGCA examined the airline's operational planning, crew rostering, management oversight and software systems. According to the committee's findings, the primary causes for the disruption were over-optimisation of operations, inadequate regulatory preparedness, along with deficiencies in system software support and shortcomings in management structure and operational control on the part of IndiGo. The inquiry noted that the airline's management failed to adequately identify planning deficiencies, maintain sufficient operational buffer, and effectively implement the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) provisions, leading to large-scale cancellations and delays. The committee observed that an overriding focus on maximising utilisation of crew, aircraft, and network resources, which significantly reduced roster buffer margins. Crew rosters were designed to maximise duty periods, with increased reliance on dead-heading, tail swaps, extended duty patterns, and minimal recovery margins. This approach compromised roster integrity and adversely impacted operational resilience. Based on these findings, DGCA issued enforcement actions against several senior officials of InterGlobe Aviation, IndiGo's parent company. The airline's CEO was cautioned for inadequate oversight of operations and crisis management, while warnings were issued to the Chief Operating Officer and the Senior Vice President (Operations Control Centre). The SVP has also been directed to be relieved of current operational responsibilities. Additional warnings were issued to senior officials responsible for flight operations, crew resource planning and roster management. In addition to individual actions, DGCA imposed one-time systemic penalties of Rs 1.80 crore for multiple violations of Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs). These included failures related to crew duty limits, operational control, and accountable management responsibilities. A further penalty of Rs 20.40 crore was levied for continued non-compliance with revised FDTL provisions over a period of 68 days, from December 5, 2025, to February 10, 2026, at a daily rate of Rs 30 lakh. DGCA has also directed IndiGo to furnish a Rs 50 crore bank guarantee under the newly instituted IndiGo Systemic Reform Assurance Scheme (ISRAS). The release of the guarantee will be phased and linked to DGCA-verified implementation of reforms across leadership and governance, manpower planning and fatigue risk management, digital systems and operational resilience, and board-level oversight over a 9-15 month period. While acknowledging the violations, DGCA noted that IndiGo restored normal operations in a relatively short time. The regulator also took note of measures taken by the airline, including timely refunds, statutory compensation, and the issuance of a 'Gesture of Care' voucher worth Rs 10,000 to affected passengers, valid for 12 months. DGCA reiterated that the enforcement actions are aimed at strengthening systemic resilience, safeguarding aviation safety, and protecting the interests of passengers and aviation personnel. The regulator also stated that an internal review is underway within DGCA to implement systemic improvements in line with MoCA's direction. (ANI)
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