Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu on Tuesday directed a 10 per cent curtailment of IndiGo’s overall routes, escalating the government’s intervention after a week of large-scale flight disruptions that left thousands of passengers stranded.
Earlier in the day, the aviation regulator DGCA imposed a 5 per cent cut on IndiGo’s winter schedule, citing “large-scale disruptions” since December 1 on high-frequency, high-demand routes.
In a post on X, the minister said passengers had faced “severe inconvenience due to IndiGo’s internal mismanagement of crew rosters, flight schedules and inadequate communication.” He added that while the inquiry into the disruption is underway, the situation warranted further corrective action.
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers was summoned again on Tuesday to brief the ministry on stabilisation measures. The minister said Elbers has confirmed that 100 per cent refunds for flights affected till December 6 have been completed, while the government has instructed the airline to expedite pending refunds and baggage handovers.
Calling it “necessary to curtail overall IndiGo routes,” the minister said the 10 per cent reduction will help the airline stabilise its operations and reduce cancellations. Despite the cut, IndiGo will continue serving all its existing destinations.
The ministry has also reiterated strict compliance with directives on fare capping and passenger convenience measures, warning that there will be “no exceptions.”
IndiGo, India’s largest airline by market share, has been grappling with cascading operational challenges for over a week, prompting multiple reviews and regulatory intervention.
With DGCA’s 5 per cent schedule cut and the ministry’s 10 per cent route curtailment now in effect, the airline is expected to recalibrate its network to restore normalcy at the earliest.