IndiGo winter schedule to be cut back, slots to go to other airlines: Aviation minister
IndiGo chaos: Ram Mohan Naidu stated that refunds worth Rs 745 crore have been given for 7,30,655 cancelled PNRs from December 1 to December 8, 5 pm.
- Dec 9, 2025,
- Updated Dec 9, 2025 11:09 AM IST
India’s aviation authorities are considering a 5% cut to IndiGo’s flight schedule, with the possibility of further phased reductions, as the regulator examines the airline’s response to last week’s severe operational meltdown. The move could free up roughly 100 daily flights for other carriers that have the capacity to absorb additional routes, according to people aware of the matter. IndiGo flies around 2,300 flights on a daily basis including both domestic, and International sectors.
"To begin with, busy sector loads could be shared with other airlines to ensure demand is met, along with curtailments,” an official said, adding that the airline and the DGCA are working out the details.
Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu following the carrier’s flight disruptions that left thousands of passengers stranded, told Doordarshan news channel, "We will curtail IndiGo's routes. They are currently operating 2,200 flights. We will definitely curtail them."
Naidu stated that refunds worth Rs 745 crore have been given for 7,30,655 cancelled PNRs from December 1 to December 8, 5 pm. As many as 6,000 of the 9,000 passenger bags have been delivered and the ones pending would be delivered on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the airline in its official response to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), called the disruptions “unfortunate” and added that it was the compounding result of multiple factors.
It claimed that it was “realistically not possible to pinpoint the exact cause(s)” and sought more time to conduct a Root Cause Analysis (RCA). It quoted DGCA’s manual that allows a 15-day response time period for show cause notices.
Technical glitches, schedule changes, adverse weather conditions, increased congestion in the aviation system as well as implementation of the updated crew rostering rules (Flight Duty Time Limitation Phase II) led to the disruption, it stated. It has sought variations, exemptions or extensions to the FDTL Phase II.
India’s aviation authorities are considering a 5% cut to IndiGo’s flight schedule, with the possibility of further phased reductions, as the regulator examines the airline’s response to last week’s severe operational meltdown. The move could free up roughly 100 daily flights for other carriers that have the capacity to absorb additional routes, according to people aware of the matter. IndiGo flies around 2,300 flights on a daily basis including both domestic, and International sectors.
"To begin with, busy sector loads could be shared with other airlines to ensure demand is met, along with curtailments,” an official said, adding that the airline and the DGCA are working out the details.
Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu following the carrier’s flight disruptions that left thousands of passengers stranded, told Doordarshan news channel, "We will curtail IndiGo's routes. They are currently operating 2,200 flights. We will definitely curtail them."
Naidu stated that refunds worth Rs 745 crore have been given for 7,30,655 cancelled PNRs from December 1 to December 8, 5 pm. As many as 6,000 of the 9,000 passenger bags have been delivered and the ones pending would be delivered on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the airline in its official response to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), called the disruptions “unfortunate” and added that it was the compounding result of multiple factors.
It claimed that it was “realistically not possible to pinpoint the exact cause(s)” and sought more time to conduct a Root Cause Analysis (RCA). It quoted DGCA’s manual that allows a 15-day response time period for show cause notices.
Technical glitches, schedule changes, adverse weather conditions, increased congestion in the aviation system as well as implementation of the updated crew rostering rules (Flight Duty Time Limitation Phase II) led to the disruption, it stated. It has sought variations, exemptions or extensions to the FDTL Phase II.