IndiGo fined INR 22.2 cr for December chaos

Holding the management responsible, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has imposed financial penalties amounting to INR 22.20 crore on IndiGo and taken strict enforcement action against its senior management after a probe found serious planning, operational and regulatory lapses for a massive network-wide operational disruption between December 3 and 5 last year.  Additionally, Indigo has been ordered to pledge a bank guarantee of INR 50 crore in favour of DGCA, to ensure compliance with the directives and long term systemic correction.

The disruption resulted in the cancellation of 2,507 flights and delays of 1,852 flights, causing inconvenience to over three lakh passengers stranded at various airports.DGCA has also issued caution to IndiGo’s CEO for inadequate oversight and crisis management. The Accountable Manager (COO) has been warned by the DGCA for failing to assess the impact of the Winter Schedule 2025 and revised FDTL norms.

The regulator has also warned the senior vice president (Operations Control Centre) and directed that he be relieved of current operational responsibilities, barring him from holding any accountable position.

According to a statement issued by the DGCA, it has imposed INR 1.80 crore in one-time penalties for six instances of non-compliance with Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs), including failure to ensure effective implementation of FDTL norms, improper delegation of operational control, and shortcomings in accountable management.

In addition, the airline was fined Rs 20.40 crore for continued non-compliance over 68 days between December 5, 2025 and February 10, 2026, at a daily penalty of Rs 30 lakh.Warnings have further been issued to the deputy head-flight operations, AVP-crew resource planning and director-flight operations for lapses in manpower planning and roster management.IndiGo has been instructed to take action against other personnel identified through its internal inquiry and submit a compliance report to DGCA.

Beyond penalty, DGCA has directed IndiGo to furnish a Rs 50 crore bank guarantee under a newly instituted IndiGo Systemic Reform Assurance Scheme (ISRAS). The guarantee will be released in phases based on DGCA-certified implementation of reforms across four areas: leadership and governance, manpower planning and fatigue-risk management, digital systems and operational resilience, and sustained board-level oversight.

The chairman and members of the board of directors of InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, the firm that owns IndiGo, in a statement confirmed they have received the DGCA’s orders and will take appropriate measures. “We would like to take this opportunity to inform all of our stakeholders, particularly our valued customers, that the board and the management of IndiGo are committed to taking full cognizance of the orders and will, in a thoughtful and timely manner, take appropriate measures,” the statement said.

A four-member inquiry committee, set up by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on the directions of the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), found that the primary causes were over-optimisation of operations, inadequate regulatory preparedness, weak software systems, and shortcomings in management oversight at IndiGo.

The committee members examined the airline’s operations, spoke to key officials, and reviewed its planning and crew management systems. The inquiry found that the disruptions were not caused by bad weather alone but by deeper operational problems within the airline.

The inquiry report identified over-optimisation of operations, inadequate regulatory preparedness, and deficiencies in planning software and management oversight as the primary causes of the disruption. It found that IndiGo failed to maintain adequate operational buffers and did not effectively implement revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms.

The Committee observed that the airline’s management failed to adequately identify planning deficiencies, maintain sufficient operational buffer, and effectively implement the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) provisions. These lapses resulted in widespread flight delays and large-scale cancellations, causing inconvenience to passengers.

The Inquiry further noted an overriding focus on maximising utilisation of crew, aircraft, and network resources, which significantly reduced roster buffer margins. Crew rosters were designed to maximise duty periods, with increased reliance on dead-heading, tail swaps, extended duty patterns, and minimal recovery margins. This approach compromised roster integrity and adversely impacted operational resilience. The inquiry also included within its purview long term reform measures addressing systemic issues so that such incidents do not occur in the future and passengers are not put to any inconvenience.

The findings underscore the need for balanced operational planning, robust regulatory preparedness, and effective management oversight to ensure sustainable operations and passenger safety and convenience.

DGCA acknowledged that IndiGo restored operations swiftly and complied with refund and compensation norms. On MoCA’s directions, the airline also issued a Rs 10,000 ‘Gesture of Care’ voucher with a 12-month validity to passengers affected by cancellations or delays exceeding three hours during the disruption period.

The DGCA said the action was taken after reviewing the airline’s operational lapses that led to widespread inconvenience for passengers during the period.

The disruption at India’s largest airline which carries over 60 per cent of the country’s domestic air passengers has been primarily triggered by crew shortages following the implementation of the new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms. The second and final phase of the revised crew duty and rest regulations came into effect last month, leaving IndiGo inadequately prepared for the transition.

Fine explained

• Daily Penalty : INR 30,00,000
• Total Days of Non-Compliance : 68 days
• Total Penalty for Continued Non-Compliance:

68 × INR 30,00,000 = INR 20,40,00,000/- (Rupees Twenty Crore Forty Lakh Only)

• One-time systemic penalties: INR 1.80 crore
• Continued non-compliance penalty: INR 20.40 crore
• Total Penalty Imposed: INR 22.20 crore