New Delhi – Budget carrier IndiGo Airlines has officially responded to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation regarding the massive wave of IndiGo flight cancellations last week, attributing the crisis to a “compounding effect of multiple factors” that simultaneously impacted the airline’s operations. The aviation regulator confirmed receiving the airline’s explanation and stated it would initiate enforcement action “as deemed appropriate” after examining the communication.
DGCA Receives Official Response on IndiGo Flight Cancellations
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation confirmed on Monday that it had received IndiGo’s detailed response to the show-cause notice at 6:01 pm. The letter was jointly signed by the airline’s chief executive officer Pieter Elbers and chief operating officer Isidre Porqueras, and was described by DGCA as “profusely apologetic” while expressing deep regret for the inconvenience caused to thousands of passengers affected by the IndiGo flight cancellations.
The communication represented the airline’s formal explanation following DGCA’s initial notice issued to Elbers on Saturday, which held him directly accountable for “significant lapses in planning, oversight, and resource management.” The regulator had given the airline 24 hours to explain why enforcement action should not be initiated for violations that precipitated the country’s worst aviation crisis in years, later extending the deadline to 6 pm Monday following a request for a one-time extension.
Multiple Factors Behind IndiGo Flight Cancellations
In its comprehensive response, IndiGo attributed the wave of IndiGo flight cancellations to a combination of interconnected factors that created a perfect storm for operational disruption. The airline cited “minor technical glitches,” schedule changes linked to the onset of the winter season, adverse weather conditions, increased congestion in the aviation system, and the implementation of updated crew-rostering norms under the Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) Phase II framework.
The airline explained that disruptions began building in early December when the confluence of these factors severely impacted IndiGo’s on-time network performance and cascaded into widespread crew unavailability, ultimately resulting in the mass IndiGo flight cancellations that stranded thousands of passengers across the country.
Complexity Prevents Immediate Root Cause Identification
IndiGo emphasized in its response that it was “realistically not possible to pinpoint the exact cause(s)” of the crisis at this stage, given the complexity and scale of its operations. The airline requested additional time to conduct a comprehensive Root Cause Analysis, noting that DGCA’s own procedures allow for 15 days to respond to show-cause notices regarding the IndiGo flight cancellations.
The airline committed to submitting the full analysis once the exercise is complete, suggesting that a thorough investigation would be necessary to prevent similar incidents in the future and better understand the cascading failures that led to the unprecedented IndiGo flight cancellations.
FDTL Implementation Challenges Cited
IndiGo also contended that it had been actively engaging with DGCA regarding challenges in implementing the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation rules and had been seeking variations, exemptions, or extensions to accommodate the transition. The airline suggested that the new crew-rostering norms contributed significantly to the operational challenges that resulted in the widespread IndiGo flight cancellations.
This acknowledgment highlights the ongoing tension between safety regulations designed to prevent crew fatigue and the operational demands of running India’s largest domestic carrier.
Network Reboot Implemented on December 5
On December 5, IndiGo resorted to what it described as the “drastic measure” of “rebooting” its network, implementing massive IndiGo flight cancellations to recover stranded passengers, reduce airport congestion, and reposition crew and aircraft. The airline said this reset allowed operations to stabilize and progressively normalize from December 6 onward.
This strategic decision represented an acknowledgment that continuing to operate under the existing conditions would only compound the crisis rather than resolve it.
Passenger Assistance and Compensation Efforts
IndiGo claimed in its response that it issued timely notifications and provided meals, refreshments, hotel accommodation, and local transport “to the best extent possible” under DGCA’s civil aviation requirements. The airline stated that substantial refunds have been processed for most affected customers impacted by the IndiGo flight cancellations.
The carrier reported that ₹827 crores had already been refunded, with the remainder under process for cancellations through December 15. Between December 1 and 7, the airline arranged for over 9,500 hotel rooms and close to 10,000 cabs and buses for affected passengers.
Operational Recovery Shows Progress
On Monday, IndiGo announced that operations were improving significantly following the crisis. The airline operated 1,650 of its 2,300 scheduled domestic and international flights on Sunday, with plans to increase this figure to 1,800 flights on Monday. “After the recent disruptions, IndiGo has recorded considerable and consistent improvement across the network,” the airline stated.
The carrier reported that its on-time performance had improved to 91% across the network, and all cancellations in Monday’s schedule were executed on Sunday, ensuring advance notifications were sent to customers well before their scheduled departures.
Duopoly Concerns Exposed by Crisis
The continuing crisis exposed the lack of choice for passengers in India’s aviation sector, which has largely become a duopoly between IndiGo and Air India. The embattled low-cost carrier remains the only option in many sectors, making the IndiGo flight cancellations particularly disruptive for travelers with limited alternatives.
Customer Service Efforts Continue
IndiGo reported delivering over 4,500 bags to respective customers and being on track to deliver the remainder within 36 hours. The airline claimed to be assisting over 2 lakh customers daily across various communication channels, demonstrating the massive scale of recovery efforts required following the IndiGo flight cancellations crisis.
