DGCA fines IndiGo 22 crores for flight disruptions in December; airline says internal review underway

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has imposed a total penalty of ₹22.20 crore on IndiGo following major operational disruptions in early December 2025, citing prolonged Flight Time Limitations (FDTL) violations and systemic lapses.

The regulatory action follows widespread cancellations and delays between December 3 and 5, when IndiGo canceled 2,507 flights and delayed 1,852 more, affecting over three lakh passengers. The DGCA said the disruptions stemmed from over-optimization of operations, inadequate preparation for the revised FDTL norms and gaps in software systems, operational control and management oversight.

The penalty includes ₹20.40 crore for continuous non-compliance with the revised FDTL norms over 68 days, and a one-time systemic penalty of ₹1.80 crore for multiple regulatory violations. The DGCA also ordered IndiGo to provide a bank guarantee of ₹50 crore to ensure the implementation of the remedial reforms.

Warnings were issued against the airline’s CEO for inadequate crisis management, the chief operating officer for failing to assess the impact of regulatory changes, as well as several senior flight operations and crew planning officials. The Senior Vice President (Operations Control Center) has been ordered to be relieved of his current responsibilities.

In response, IndiGo said it had received the DGCA’s orders relating to the December disruptions and that its board and management were committed to taking “full cognizance” of the findings. The airline said appropriate action would be taken “in a considered and timely manner”.

IndiGo added that a thorough review of the robustness and resilience of its internal processes has been underway since the disruption, with the aim of emerging stronger from this episode. The airline reiterated its commitment to serving India and supporting the country’s ambition to become a global aviation hub by 2030.