DGCA issues notice to Indigo CEO over massive flight disruptions, seeks reply within 24 hours

PTC News Desk: India’s aviation crisis deepened on Saturday as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers, seeking an explanation for the escalating flight delays, cancellations, and widespread operational failures.

The aviation regulator has given Elbers 24 hours to reply, warning that punitive action will follow if he fails to respond. The DGCA stated that the large-scale disruptions, involving hundreds of cancellations each day, have caused major inconvenience and distress to passengers. The notice said the main reason behind the chaos was IndiGo’s failure to arrange essential requirements necessary for smooth execution of the approved Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) framework.

It further said the extensive breakdown reflected serious shortcomings in planning, supervision and resource management. The regulator added that IndiGo did not provide passengers with the required support and information during cancellations, long delays and denied boarding situations.

Holding Elbers directly accountable, the DGCA said he had “failed in his duty” to maintain reliable operations and ensure passengers received the services they are entitled to.

This represents the strongest regulatory action so far, as IndiGo’s disruptions have continued for the fifth straight day, causing mounting frustration at major airports.

The notice came after the surge in cancellations and delays that severely hit IndiGo’s network, with over 850 flights cancelled today alone. Passengers across several cities have complained about long queues, missed connecting flights and baggage-related problems amid the airline’s severe operational turmoil.

The Civil Aviation Ministry has ordered IndiGo to process all pending refunds by Sunday evening and to reunite misplaced baggage within 48 hours. It has also instructed the airline to set up special support units to manage complaints and provide real-time updates.

Senior executives from IndiGo met ministry officials today to outline recovery measures and steps to prevent further disruptions.

Meanwhile, as the crisis drags on, the Air India Group — Air India and Air India Express — has introduced various measures to assist stranded travellers. These include fare caps on economy seats for domestic direct flights, a one-time waiver on change and cancellation fees for eligible bookings, deployment of extra customer service staff, and additional seat capacity on several routes.

Where possible, eligible economy customers may be upgraded to premium cabins for free to maximise available capacity, and extra flights are being operated to ensure passengers and their baggage reach their destinations faster.