DGCA Fines IndiGo Rs 22 Crore, Issues Warning To CEO Over Flight Disruptions

Air travel across India ground to a near standstill in early December 2025, and months later, the fallout has finally arrived. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken firm action against IndiGo, holding the airline responsible for a wave of cancellations and delays that disrupted travel plans for lakhs of passengers.

Heavy Penalty And Bank Guarantee

After completing a detailed probe, the aviation regulator imposed a fine of ₹22.20 crore on IndiGo. In a further step to enforce accountability, the airline has been asked to submit a ₹50 crore bank guarantee to the DGCA. The move is aimed at ensuring compliance with corrective measures and preventing similar breakdowns in the future.

Scale Of Disruptions Revealed

The DGCA report highlighted the extent of the crisis. Between December 3 and 5, at least 2,507 flights were cancelled while 1,852 flights were delayed. Nearly three lakh passengers were left stranded at airports across the country, facing missed connections, long waits, and a lack of timely information.

To understand what triggered the breakdown, the regulator set up a four-member committee to examine planning systems, staffing, software support, and operational controls.

What Went Wrong At IndiGo

The committee identified over-optimisation of operations as a major factor. IndiGo’s push to maximise aircraft and crew usage left minimal buffer to manage disruptions. Gaps in network planning, weak regulatory preparedness, and shortcomings in system software further worsened the situation.