IndiGo Crisis Explained: Refunds, Cancellations, Flight Status And Government Action
IndiGo’s operational crisis stems from failure to make necessary preparations as per the provisions of the new crew-rest rules, which came into effect in November.
It has been over a week since IndiGo’s failure to adapt to new crew-rostering rules triggered widespread flight disruptions, leaving lakhs of travellers stranded at airports across the country.
At the centre of the crisis were regulations requiring pilots and cabin crew to get more rest, including 48-hour weekly breaks instead of 36 hours earlier and stricter limits on night landings.
The airline has been accused of failing to make arrangements to comply with the new rules. As a result, IndiGo was left short of crew, forcing it to ground more than half its fleet.
Amid the claims of stabilisation of operations by the airline, many travellers still have unanswered questions, from refund eligibility and rebooking choices to how reliably they can track flight status before heading to the airport.
Here is a clear breakdown of what passengers need to know about IndiGo’s operational updates.
IndiGo Crisis: Status Of Operations Now
According to IndiGo, its operations have largely returned to normal, with flights running closer to schedule. The airline posted a video message from CEO Pieter Elbers on X, claiming, “IndiGo Operations Normalised.”
According to an NDTV report, IndiGo said on Dec. 9 that “after days of significant and steady improvement across the network, we have reinstated our operations across our network,” noting that all flights listed on its website were now operating on an “adjusted network.”
The airline added that most of the luggage stuck during the disruption had already been delivered, with teams working to clear the remaining backlog at the earliest.
IndiGo Crisis: Refund Status
IndiGo informed passengers on Dec. 8 that refunds for flights cancelled between Dec. 3 and 15 “are being processed.” In a post on X, the airline said it was also offering a full waiver on change and cancellation fees for all bookings valid for travel until Dec. 15, 2025.
Passengers were advised to visit the airline’s dedicated refund and cancellation webpage for further action.
On Dec. 8, IndiGo said in another status update that it had already refunded Rs 827 crore, with the remaining amounts still being processed.
IndiGo Crisis: What If A Flight Is Cancelled
If your IndiGo flight is cancelled, the airline says passengers can immediately request a full refund or seek assistance through its customer support channels.
IndiGo has advised all travellers to check their latest flight status before leaving for the airport, as disruptions continue despite claims of operations returning to normalcy.
The airline told the Ministry of Civil Aviation that it is sending cancellation updates to passengers every six hours. It also said that more than 1,800 flights are currently operating across its 138-station network, with plans to run nearly 1,900 flights today (Dec. 10).
However, cancellations have persisted. According to an Economic Times report, several IndiGo flights were still being scrapped on Dec. 10 at major airports, including Bengaluru and Goa.
Bengaluru saw more than 60 flights grounded on Dec. 10. Goa International Airport reported seven cancellations. As per an ANI report, 10 IndiGo flights were cancelled in Ahmedabad till 8 a.m. on Dec. 10.
IndiGo has reiterated that all affected customers are eligible for full refunds through its website.
IndiGo Crisis: Government Cuts Flights
The Centre has begun tightening scrutiny on IndiGo after days of airport chaos, with the DGCA cutting the airline’s winter schedule by 5%, reported NDTV.
IndiGo operates around 2,200 flights a day, meaning roughly 110 services will be removed from its daily roster. The government said the freed-up slots will be reallocated to other airlines.
Indigo Crisis: Delhi HC Steps In
The Delhi High Court has pulled up IndiGo and the Centre, directing them to immediately begin compensating stranded passengers and to strictly follow all DGCA norms on assistance and refunds.
A Bench of Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) on Wednesday, said its primary concern was passenger welfare and preventing a repeat of the chaos seen in recent days, reported ANI.
The HC also sought details from the government about the on-ground arrangements at airports to deal with the crisis. It also flagged the sudden spike in airfares during the crisis, asking for clarity on the issue from the government.
The DGCA submitted before the HC that the fare surge had eased and steps were being taken to ensure pricing transparency.
The aviation regulator informed the court that duty-time rules had been under discussion for years, with several consultations held. Smaller airlines had complied, while IndiGo and Air India sought extensions.
