IndiGo Flight Cancellations: DGCA Issues Second Show-Cause Notice as Disruptions Continue

India’s aviation regulator has intensified scrutiny of IndiGo, issuing a second show-cause notice, this time addressed to the airline’s accountable manager, just a day after sending a similar notice to CEO Pieter Elbers. The action comes as widespread cancellations and delays continue to disrupt thousands of passengers across the country.

DGCA flags failures under new duty-time norms

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said IndiGo failed to adequately prepare for the rollout of revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), which triggered a chain of operational failures that left passengers stranded at major airports.

The regulator said the airline has 24 hours to explain why enforcement action should not be taken. It cited potential violations of Rule 42A of the Aircraft Rules (1937) and several Civil Aviation Requirements, including:

• Duty-time and flight-time planning

• Mandatory crew rest periods

• Adequate staffing and resource allocation

DGCA also noted that IndiGo did not provide mandatory assistance to passengers affected by cancellations and long delays.

IndiGo says operations improving

IndiGo said it is seeing “steady improvement” across its network. The carrier reported:

• On-time performance rising to 75%

• Cancellations being made earlier to improve passenger communication

• Refund and baggage-handling processes operating at full capacity

The airline now expects its network to stabilise by December 10, earlier than its previous December 10–15 estimate, and advised passengers to monitor real-time updates before heading to airports.

Government steps in, caps ticket prices

Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu said the government has launched a detailed probe and formed a four-member committee to examine the causes of the breakdown. He warned that strict action would follow if regulatory violations are confirmed.

To shield passengers from fare spikes amid the crisis, the Ministry of Civil Aviation imposed a temporary nationwide cap on domestic airfares, ranging from ₹7,500 to ₹18,000, depending on sector length.

Hyderabad remains one of the worst affected

Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) continued to face severe disruption, recording 117 IndiGo flight cancellations on Sunday alone, including:

• 56 arrivals

• 61 departures

Since December 2, more than 500 flights have been cancelled at the airport. Growing passenger frustration prompted CISF to increase security deployment.

Key routes disrupted included Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Visakhapatnam, Goa, Madurai and Bhubaneswar.

Authorities arranged alternatives to relieve pressure:

• SpiceJet operated additional flights

• State-run buses deployed

• Railways announced extra trains to major cities

• Limited special flights arranged for Ayyappa devotees travelling to Kochi

What lies ahead

With two show-cause notices issued to IndiGo’s top leadership, a government investigation underway, and mounting passenger complaints, pressure is rising on India’s largest airline to stabilise its operations and demonstrate compliance with aviation safety and passenger-rights standards.