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A Rs 22.20 crore penalty has been imposed on IndiGo and action has been taken against its management for the massive flight disruptions in December 2025. The chairman and members of InterGlobe Aviation Ltd, the firm that owns Indigo, confirmed they have received the DGCA's orders and will take appropriate action.
Why did the Disruptions Happen?
An inquiry committee, set up by the DGCA on the directions of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, found that the main causes were over-optimization of operations, insufficient regulatory preparedness, weak software systems and inadequacies in management oversight at IndiGo.
IndiGo was unable to maintain adequate operational buffers and did not implement the revised flight duty time limitation (FDTL) norms as required. Crew rosters were designed to maximize use, relying heavily on deadheading, tail swaps and long duty hours, which decreased the time for recovery and compromised working efficacy.
Action Against Management
The DGCA issued a caution to the IndiGo CEO for insufficient overall oversight and crisis management. A warning is issued to the accountable manager for failing to evaluate the impact of the winter schedule 2025 and revised FDTL norms. A warning was issued to the senior vice president, directing that he be relieved of his current operational responsibilities.
Warnings were also issued to the deputy head of flight operations, the AVP of crew resource planning and the director of flight operations for lapses in supervision, workforce planning and roster management. IndiGo has been told to take action against other personnel recognized internally and submit a compliance report to the DGCA.
How was the Penalty Calculated?
1.80 crore was levied on the airline as a one-time penalty for six violations of the Civil Aviation Requirements, such as failing to adhere to FDTL norms, inappropriate control of operations and insufficient management oversight.
A fine of 20.40 crore was levied on the airline by the regulatory authority for non-compliance with the revised FDTL provisions for an extended period of 68 days, spanning from 5th December 2025 to 10th February 2026. The total fine was Rs 22.20 crore. Apart from this, the airline will also give a bank guarantee of Rs 50 crore under the IndiGo Systemic Reform Assurance Scheme.
Passenger Relief and Reforms
IndiGo restored its operations quickly post-disruption. Along with refunds and mandatory compensation to passengers, the airline issued a 'Gesture of Care' voucher of Rs 10,000, valid for a year, to all who suffered due to flight delays or cancellations of over 3 hours during the disruption.
The MoCA conducted an internal inquiry within the DGCA for the identification and implementation of systemic improvements.
Source: NDTV
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