IndiGo Fined Rs 22.2 Crore By DGCA For Massive Flight Chaos In December

India's aviation regulator has imposed a penalty of Rs 22.2 crore on IndiGo following widespread flight disruptions between 3 and 5 December that affected over three lakh passengers.

During the three-day period, the airline cancelled 2,507 flights and delayed 1,852 others, leaving travellers stranded at airports across the country.

A government-appointed committee found multiple violations of aviation regulations and deficiencies in the airline's operational planning, crew management and oversight mechanisms.

Investigators determined that IndiGo had over-optimised its flight schedules and crew utilisation without providing adequate operational buffers, with flight planning and rostering carried out with limited margins.

The inquiry noted that IndiGo's network planning and crew scheduling systems did not sufficiently account for the implementation of revised Flight Duty Time Limitation norms, resulting in constrained crew availability over a short period.

The airline was also found to have gaps in internal coordination and crisis response mechanisms during the disruption window.

Aviation authorities imposed one-time systemic penalties of Rs 1.80 crore for multiple violations of Civil Aviation Requirements, including 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.

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.

The regulator also directed the airline to furnish a Rs 50 crore bank guarantee under the IndiGo Systemic Reform Assurance Scheme, with phased release linked to verified implementation of corrective measures.

IndiGo has been instructed to provide refunds, statutory compensation and an additional voucher of Rs 10,000 to eligible passengers affected by cancellations or long delays.

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