IndiGo offers full refunds for flights cancelled between December 5-15 as chaos continues

Amid widespread disruptions, IndiGo has announced a full refund policy for all flights cancelled between December 5 and 15. The refunds will be automatically processed to the original payment method. In addition to this, the airline is offering a complete waiver on cancellations or rescheduling during this period, and has arranged thousands of hotel rooms, surface transport, and food options to ease passenger inconvenience.

As IndiGo’s operational crisis continues, the airline took to X to announce that it would automatically process full refunds for all flights cancelled between December 5 and 15. This comes as the airline faces nationwide disruptions. In addition to offering refunds, IndiGo has provided a complete waiver on flight cancellations or changes during the affected period.

To support stranded passengers, IndiGo has arranged for hotel rooms, surface transport, and food and snacks at airports. Lounge access is also being provided to senior citizens, wherever available. The airline apologised for the massive disruptions, acknowledging the chaos caused at major airports across the country.

On Friday, IndiGo reported the highest number of cancellations, with over 750 flights affected, compared to 550 cancellations the day before and 85 on Wednesday. Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad were the worst-hit cities, with Delhi alone seeing 235 flight cancellations.

The airline, which typically operates around 2,300 flights a day with a fleet of over 400 aircraft, has blamed the disruptions on a pilot shortage, further compounded by pressures from the winter schedule. IndiGo has also requested partial relaxations of the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms to stabilize its operations, as full implementation is not expected until February 2026.

This operational meltdown has caused IndiGo’s On-Time Performance (OTP) to fall drastically. From a 35% OTP on Tuesday, it dropped to 19.7% on Wednesday and further plunged to just 8.5% on Thursday, according to the Union Civil Aviation Ministry. This sharp decline has impacted IndiGo’s reputation for punctuality.

The airline has informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that further cancellations will occur until December 8, and a reduction in services is expected starting on that day.