India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has imposed a ₹22.20 crore fine on IndiGo Airlines following an inquiry into widespread flight delays and cancellations last December that disrupted travel for hundreds of thousands of passengers.
The DGCA probe found that overworked crew rosters, weak operational planning and poor implementation of revised duty time rules significantly weakened the airline’s ability to manage disruptions effectively. IndiGo’s focus on maximising aircraft and crew utilisation left little buffer to absorb operational shocks, resulting in large-scale cancellations and delays affecting cities across India.
Between December 3 and 5, 2025, more than 2,500 flights were cancelled and nearly 1,900 delayed, stranding over 300,000 passengers at airports nationwide.