SRINAGAR: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has imposed a penalty of Rs 22.20 crore on IndiGo after large-scale flight delays and cancellations in early December last year, which left more than three lakh passengers stranded across airports.
The fine follows an inquiry into disruptions between December 3 and 5, during which 2,507 flights were cancelled and 1,852 flights delayed, causing widespread inconvenience to travellers.
According to the aviation regulator, the penalty includes a one-time systemic fine of Rs 1.80 crore for multiple violations of Civil Aviation Requirements, along with a daily penalty of Rs 30 lakh for 68 days, from December 5 to February 10, amounting to Rs 20.40 crore.
The action was taken after a four-member committee, constituted by the DGCA, conducted a comprehensive review of the circumstances that led to the operational breakdown at the airline.
The inquiry found that the primary reasons for the disruption were over-optimisation of operations, inadequate regulatory preparedness, and shortcomings in management structure and operational control. The committee observed that IndiGo’s management failed to properly identify planning gaps, maintain sufficient operational buffers, and effectively implement the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said the inquiry further noted an overriding emphasis on maximising utilisation of crew, aircraft and network resources, which significantly reduced roster buffer margins. This approach, it added, compromised roster integrity and weakened the airline’s ability to absorb operational shocks.
The DGCA said the penalty was imposed to ensure regulatory compliance and to reinforce the need for operational resilience in airline scheduling and management.
