DGCA fines IndiGo Rs 22.2 cr over Dec flight disruptions, issues warning to CEO
IndiGo acknowledges DGCA orders, saying its board and management are “taking full cognizance” and reviewing internal processes to emerge stronger
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has imposed penalties totaling Rs 22.2 crore on IndiGo for massive flight disruptions in December, and issued warnings to CEO Pieter Elbers and two other senior executives for non-compliance. The regulator has also directed the airline to furnish a Rs 50-crore bank guarantee to ensure long-term systemic corrections.
Between 3 and 5 December, 2,507 flights were cancelled and 1,852 delayed, affecting over 3 lakh passengers nationwide. A DGCA probe identified over-optimisation of operations, inadequate regulatory preparedness, software system deficiencies, and shortcomings in management structure and operational control as the primary causes of the disruption.
IndiGo has acknowledged the DGCA orders, stating that the Board and management are “committed to taking full cognizance” and will conduct an in-depth review of internal processes to emerge stronger.
The penalties include a Rs 20.4-crore fine for non-compliance from 5 December 2025, to 10 February 2026, translating to Rs 30 lakh per day, along with additional Rs 1.8 crore for specific violations under Rule 133A of the Aircraft Rules, 1937. DGCA cited lapses in flight duty compliance, operational control, and management oversight.
As part of reforms, the airline must pledge a Rs 50-crore bank guarantee under the IndiGo Systemic Reform Assurance Scheme (ISRAS). The release of funds will be phased and linked to DGCA verification of reforms across leadership and governance (Rs 10 crore), manpower planning, rostering and fatigue-risk management (Rs 15 crore), digital systems and operational resilience (Rs 15 crore), and board-level oversight (Rs 10 crore).
The DGCA also issued warnings to Elbers for inadequate oversight of flight operations and crisis management, and to COO Isidre Porqueras for failure to assess winter schedule impacts and revised flight duty norms. Warnings were further issued to the Senior VP (OCC), deputy head of flight operations, AVP of crew resource planning, and director of flight operations for lapses in operational, supervisory, manpower, and roster management.
The actions follow a detailed probe by a four-member DGCA committee and mark one of the largest penalties imposed by the regulator for flight disruptions. Last month, the DGCA had curtailed IndiGo’s winter schedule flights by 10 per cent in response to the chaos.
With PTI inputs