IndiGo crisis: Hundreds of flights cancelled today; Govt asks airline to complete refunds by Sunday

New Delhi: Thousands of passengers have been affected as IndiGo continued to cancel domestic flights due to a shortage of pilots. Several airports across the country witnessed scenes of chaos as passengers protested against sudden flight cancellations without prior notice. The crisis, now in its fifth day, saw the airline cancelling over 600 flights on Saturday, citing operational issues.

Amid the disruptions, the civil aviation ministry on Saturday directed IndiGo to complete the ticket refund process for all cancelled flights by Sunday evening. The ministry also instructed the airline to ensure that baggage separated from passengers due to cancellations or delays must be delivered within the next 48 hours.

The ministry warned that any delay or non-compliance in processing refunds would invite immediate regulatory action. According to its statement, the refund process for all cancelled or disrupted flights must be completed by 8 pm on Sunday.

“Airlines have also been instructed not to levy any rescheduling charges for passengers whose travel plans were affected by cancellations,” the ministry said.
On Saturday alone, more than 400 flights were cancelled at airports nationwide.

IndiGo has also been directed to set up dedicated passenger support and refund facilitation cells, reported PTI.

“These cells have been tasked with proactively contacting affected passengers and ensuring that refunds and alternative travel arrangements are processed without the need for multiple follow-ups. The system of automatic refunds will remain active until operations stabilise completely,” the statement added.

Further, the ministry said that any baggage separated from passengers due to cancellations or delays must be traced and delivered within the next 48 hours.