Indigo Flight Cancellations: Normalcy Restored At Airports; Govt Sends Notice To CEO Pieter Elbers

The government on Saturday sent a show cause notice to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers. In a letter accessed by NDTV Profit, a senior official at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said Elbers is responsible, as CEO, for ensuring effective management of the airlines.

"You are hereby directed to show cause within 24 hours of receipt of this notice as to why appropriate enforcement action should not be initiated against you under the relevant provisions of the Aircraft Rules and Civil Aviation requirements for the above mentioned violations. Failure to submit your reply within the stipulated period shall result in the matter being decided ex parte.

"Normalcy is being gradually restored at the airports across the country. All necessary facilities are provided to passengers. Check-in and check-out are happening smoothly," the government said Saturday night.

Earlier, IndiGo said it has re-established 95% of its network connectivity in terms of destinations. The carrier operated to 135 out of the 138 destinations on Saturday and is on course to operate over 1,500 flights by the end of the day, the airline said in a statement.

India largest airline had cancelled more than 1,500 flights in the past few days after a severe crew shortage and problems tied to new flight duty rules crippled its operations.  

"On our way to operate over 1500 flights by end of day. Over 95% of network connectivity has already been re-established. We are able to operate to 135 out of the existing 138 destinations. We had cancelled a significant number of flights and operated little above 700 flights yesterday. The main objective was to reboot the network, systems & rosters. There are some early signs of improvement. We understand that we have a long way to go and committed to build back the trust of our customers," IndiGo said.

Pieter Elbers, 55, has been the CEO of IndiGo since 2022. He was earlier associated with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines for nearly three decades. He has over 30 years of experience in aviation.

According to his LinkedIn profile, he served as President and CEO of KLM from October 2014 to July 2022. Prior to that, he was COO from January 2011 to September 2014 and Senior Vice President of Network & Alliances between 2005 and 2010.

He also held international assignments as General Manager in Japan, Greece, and Italy from 1999 to 2005. Earlier, he worked in route network planning from 1995 to 1999 and began his career as a ramp supervisor at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport from 1992 to 1995.

He completed Executive Education at Columbia Business School in 2006. Earlier, he earned a Drs. degree in Business Economics from the Open University between 1993 and 1995.

The seasoned airline business leader also serves on the International Air Transport Association Board of Governors and has been elected as the Chair since June 2024, according to IndiGo’s website.

Here's IndiGo's new statement Saturday evening:

"Today the number of cancellations has dropped below 850 flights, much lower compared to yesterday. IndiGo is working determinedly to bring its operations back on track across the network. Our teams are focused on stabilising schedules, reducing delays, & supporting customers through this period. We’re continuing to work towards reducing this number progressively over the next few days. We are addressing all customer refunds on priority. We are also working closely with all airports and partners to ensure timely updates are provided to customers."

The Civil Aviation Ministry said fare limits are applicable for travel until the fares stabilise or till further review. These fare limits shall be applicable for all forms of bookings and regardless of whether the purchase is made directly through the airline's official website or through various online travel agents' platforms.

• For distance upto 500 KM, maximum fare capped at Rs 7,500.

• For distance between 500-1000 KM, maximum fare capped at Rs 12,000.

• For distance between 1000-1500 KM, maximum fare capped at Rs 15,000.

• For distance Above 1500 KM, maximum fare capped at Rs 18,000.

The Civil Aviation Ministry said fare limits are applicable for travel until the fares stabilise or till further review. These fare limits shall be applicable for all forms of bookings and regardless of whether the purchase is made directly through the airline's official website or through various online travel agents' platforms.

• For distance upto 500 KM, maximum fare capped at Rs 7,500.

• For distance between 500-1000 KM, maximum fare capped at Rs 12,000.

• For distance between 1000-1500 KM, maximum fare capped at Rs 15,000.

• For distance Above 1500 KM, maximum fare capped at Rs 18,000.

Air India and Air India Express on Saturday confirmed they have proactively capped economy class airfares on non-stop domestic flights since December 4, amid public complaints about high costs shown on third-party sites.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), an Air India Spokesperson said, "Air India & Air India Express clarify that, since 4 December, economy class airfares on non-stop domestic flights have been proactively capped to prevent the usual demand-and-supply mechanism being applied by revenue management systems." [sic]

"In response to recent events, all refunds for your cancellations will be processed automatically to your original mode of payment . We will offer full waiver on all cancellations/reschedule requests of your bookings for travel between 5 December 2025 and 15 December 2025," IndiGo said.

"In response to recent events, all refunds for your cancellations will be processed automatically to your original mode of payment . We will offer full waiver on all cancellations/reschedule requests of your bookings for travel between 5 December 2025 and 15 December 2025," IndiGo said.

Following days of unprecedented crisis linked to IndiGo flights, the airline has said operations should return to normal by Feb. 10. The largest airline in India has cancelled more than 1,500 flights in the past few days after a severe crew shortage and problems tied to new flight duty rules crippled its operations.  

The disruptions left thousands of passengers stranded at major airports, leading to massive backlash against the airline. Long queues at ticket counters, angry passengers, protests at major airports and a viral open letter by employees on the alleged mismanagement by the airline have deepened the IndiGo crisis.

Many travellers missed connecting flights and important events, including weddings, concerts and seminars amid the massive cancellations by IndiGo. The situation prompted the government to order a high-level inquiry and put the new norms on hold temporarily to restore flight operations.

Meanwhile, IndiGo has said that stabilising crew rosters is its top priority and promised smoother operations soon.

But how did this crisis unfold and what made it worse? Here’s a timeline of events:

The Civil Aviation Ministry has mandated that the refund process for all cancelled or disrupted flights must be fully completed by 8:00 PM on Sunday.

The Ministry has directed IndiGo to ensure that all baggage should be returned to passengers in 48 hours. Bags separated from passengers due to cancellations or delays should be traced and delivered to the passenger’s residence. All of this should be done within the next 48 hours.

Airlines have also been instructed not to levy any rescheduling charges for passengers whose travel plans were affected by cancellation.

Read story here:

Pune Airport witnessed significant disruptions of domestic carrier IndiGo services, with 42 flights cancelled on the fifth day of the airline's operational challenges, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded.

According to airport authorities, 14 inbound and 28 outbound IndiGo flights were cancelled between Friday and Saturday midnight at the Pune airport, which operates within an Indian Air Force base.

The 14 cancelled inbound flights included services from Indore, Delhi, Nagpur, Guwahati, Patna, Varanasi, Chennai and Chandigarh, while 28 outbound flights to various domestic destinations were also cancelled.

Ensure all baggages separated from passengers due to flight cancellations are delivered within next 48 hours: Government tells IndiGo.

The government on Saturday introduced airfare caps amid IndiGo flight disruptions that had pushed air ticket prices higher in many routes.

With a lesser number of flights, airfares on certain routes have surged.

Taking a serious note of the situation, the civil aviation ministry said it has invoked regulatory powers to ensure fair and reasonable fares across all affected routes.

The limits will be in place till the situation stabilises, the ministry said in a statement.

The South-Central Railway on Saturday announced that it would run four special trains to manage the surge in passengers resulting from the large-scale cancellation of IndiGo flights here.

At least 14 domestic flights of IndiGo from Goa's Dabolim airport were cancelled on Saturday due to the ongoing disruption of the airline's operations.

Several passengers were seen stranded outside the Dabolim airport, located in South Goa, as some of the cancellations were announced at the last minute.

The flight disruptions have cast a shadow on Goa's tourism industry, with stakeholders fearing a drop in footfall at a time when the tourism season is at its peak in the coastal state.

Harbhajan Singh, in a post on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, "It’s concerning to see continued flight disruptions by IndiGo Airlines, causing inconvenience to passengers. The situation is worsened by rising fares on Air India, leaving travelers with limited, costly options. Immediate action is needed to ensure reliable service and fair pricing for all."

An official directive has been issued to all airlines mandating strict adherence to the fare caps that have now been prescribed. These caps will remain in force until the situation fully stabilises. The objective of this directive is to maintain pricing discipline in the market, prevent any exploitation of passengers in distress, and ensure that citizens who urgently need to travel — including senior citizens, students, and patients — are not subjected to financial hardship during this period.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has taken serious note of concerns regarding unusually high airfares being charged by certain airlines during the ongoing disruption. In order to protect passengers from any form of opportunistic pricing, the Ministry has invoked its regulatory powers to ensure fair and reasonable fares across all affected routes.

The South Central Railway on Saturday announced that it would run four special trains to manage the surge in passengers resulting from the large-scale cancellation of IndiGo flights in Hyderabad.

The move comes as flyers face significant disruption and long queues at the airport due to the cancellation.

A press release from the SCR said it is running the special trains to clear the extra rush of passengers to Chennai, Mumbai and Shalimar (Kolkata) from Hyderabad today.

Domestic carrier IndiGo has cancelled over 400 flights from four major airports on Saturday.

Of these, 124 flights (63 departures and 61 arrivals) were cancelled at Bengaluru airport and 109 flights -- 51 departures and 58 arrivals -- at Mumbai airport.

The number of cancellations at Delhi airport stood at 106, including 54 departures and 52 arrivals, the sources said, adding that 66 flights have been cancelled by IndiGo at Hyderabad airport.

IndiGo on Saturday announced the resumption of nine of its 11 flights from the Jammu Airport, but cancelled seven flights from Srinagar, owing to the nationwide disruptions caused by the airline's pilot-rostering issues.

Passengers look at a big display showing check-in information at Terminal 3 (T3) of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, in New Delhi on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025.

Domestic carrier IndiGo has cancelled over 200 flights from Delhi and Mumbai, a day after managing to temporarily secure major relaxations in the second phase of the court-mandated new flight duty and rest period norms for cockpit crew, sources said

Passengers look at a big display showing check-in information at Terminal 3 (T3) of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, in New Delhi on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025.

Domestic carrier IndiGo has cancelled over 200 flights from Delhi and Mumbai, a day after managing to temporarily secure major relaxations in the second phase of the court-mandated new flight duty and rest period norms for cockpit crew, sources said

In a statement, the Delhi Airport said: At Delhi Airport, we are pleased to confirm that flight operations are now steadily resuming and getting back to normalcy following the recent disruptions.

Some IndiGo flights continue to be affected. Passengers are advised to check the latest flight status with the airline before leaving for the airport to avoid inconvenience

About 69 IndiGo flights have been cancelled at the Hyderabad Airport, according to Delhi Airport Sources.

• Arrival: 26

• Departure: 43

About 106 IndiGo flights have been cancelled at the Delhi Airport, according to Delhi Airport Sources.

• Arrival: 52

• Departure: 54

About 109 IndiGo flights have been cancelled at the Mumbai Airport, according to Mumbai Airport Sources.

• Arrival: 51

• Departure: 58

About 29 IndiGo flights were cancelled today from the Chennai Airport, reports NDTV.

About 46 IndiGo flights were cancelled today from the Bengaluru Airport, reports NDTV. Disruption in flight operations leave passengers stranded at Bengaluru airport.

Delhi Airport issues an advisory, "We are glad to update that IndiGo flight operations are now steadily resuming and getting back to normalcy following the brief disruption. Please check the status of your booking and flight before leaving from home..."

Total number of scheduled IndiGo flights for December 6, 2025 from Thiruvananthapuram airport:

Domestic

• Arrival: 11

• Departure: 11

International

• Arrival: 2

• Departure: 2

Cancellations till now -

• Domestic Arrival: 3 

• Domestic Departure: 3

Seven arrivals and 12 departures cancelled at Ahmedabad airport from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Dec 6, Ahmedabad Airport officials inform.

Seven arrivals and 12 departures cancelled at Ahmedabad airport from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Dec 6, Ahmedabad Airport officials inform.

IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers apologised to passengers for the trouble caused by the carrier's cancellation of over 1,000 flights today, as well as hundreds more over the past few days.

Delhi Airport's post shared an advisory image confirming IndiGo flights are resuming after a nationwide operational halt on December 5, 2025. The advisory, issued at 11:50 p.m. asks passengers to check booking statuses before travel and directs users to the airport's website (newdelhiairport.in) or airlines for real-time updates on other carriers.

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the unfolding chaos involving IndiGo Airlines, India’s largest carrier, as passengers across multiple airports report major delays, long queues, and operational disruptions.