IndiGo flight crisis: DGCA issues show-cause notice to COO, airline says operations to stabilise by Dec 10

New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) over large-scale flight cancellations and delays that have disrupted operations nationwide. The aviation regulator mentioned that the airline failed to comply with new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules, leading to chaos at multiple airports in recent days.

According to the DGCA, the airline did not make needful arrangements to implement the revised FDTL norms and overlooked essential planning requirements. This lapse, as per the DGCA, directly resulted in widespread operational disruptions and violated mandatory safety and service standards. The regulator also noted that passengers were not provided the required facilities during prolonged delays and cancellations.

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In its notice, the DGCA has instructed IndiGo’s Accountable Manager to respond within 24 hours. The authority has warned that failure to provide a satisfactory explanation will invite unilateral action.

In a separate development, IndiGo’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) was placed under regulatory suspension earlier this week for the airline’s inadequate preparedness and failure to meet compliance expectations amid the new FDTL rollout. The suspension follows mounting concerns over IndiGo’s handling of crew duty rosters and passenger management.

Meanwhile, IndiGo stated that it is taking "significant corrective steps" to stabilize operations. According to the airline’s spokesperson, over 1,650 flights are expected to operate on December 7—up from approximately 1,500 the previous day. The carrier claims its on-time performance has improved substantially, rising from 30 per cent to 75 per cent.

The airline added that fewer flights were cancelled on Saturday, and passengers were informed in advance about disruptions. Refunds and baggage-related issues are being expedited, regardless of whether bookings were made directly with IndiGo or through third-party platforms.

Passengers have been advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport. IndiGo expects operations to return to normal by December 10, moving up its earlier estimate of December 10–15.

The airline has apologized to passengers for the inconvenience and stated that all teams are working “round the clock” to restore regular flight operations.