The government directed IndiGo to cut 10% of its flight operations in India amid chaos and disruptions. (Bloomberg)
The central government on Tuesday, 9 December, announced a major crackdown on IndiGo, the country's largest airline, directing the company to reduce its flight operations by 10%.
The government has further slashed IndiGo's winter schedule, reducing the number of flights by 10%, following the previous 5% flight operations cut levels imposed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
In a social media post, Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu informed that the ministry considers it necessary for IndiGo to curtail its overall route offerings, which will help stabilise its operations and reduce flight cancellations.
“The Ministry considers it necessary to curtail the overall Indigo routes, which will help in stabilising the airline’s operations and lead to reduced cancellations. A curtailment of 10% has been ordered. While abiding with it, Indigo will continue to cover all its destinations as before,” said Ram Mohan Naidu in the social media post on X.
The government has ordered IndiGo to comply with all the ministry directions, including the cap on airfare and the passenger convenience measures, without making any exceptions.
“IndiGo has been instructed to comply with all the directives of the Ministry, including fare capping and passenger convenience measures without any exception,” said Naidu in his post.
IndiGo refunds
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers on Tuesday confirmed that 100% of refunds for passengers impacted till 6 December 2025 have been completed. The government has also issued strict directions to IndiGo to expedite the remaining refunds and baggage handover to the affected individuals.
“Today again, @IndiGo6E CEO Pieter Elbers was summoned to the Ministry to provide an update. He confirmed that 100% of the refunds for flights affected till 6th December have been completed. A strict instruction to expedite the completion of the remaining refunds and baggage handover was given,” the aviation minister said on Tuesday.
DGCA's crackdown on IndiGo
The DGCA, on 9 December, announced that IndiGo increased its departures by 9.66% in comparison to the Winter Schedule 24 and by 6.05% in relation to the Summer Schedule 25.
The regulator also highlighted that the airline did not demonstrate the ability to operate the schedules efficiently, and hence was asked to cut the schedule by 10% across sectors.
“The airline has not demonstrated an ability to operate these schedules efficiently. Therefore, it is directed to reduce the schedule by 10% across sectors, especially on high-demand, high-frequency flights, and to avoid single-flight operations on a sector by IndiGo,” the DGCA said in an official release.
The regulator also directed the company to submit a revised schedule by 5 PM on Wednesday, 10 December.
On Tuesday, more than 350 IndiGo flights to and from Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru airports have reportedly been cancelled, resulting in thousands of passengers being stranded at airports across India.