“IndiGo Flights to Return to Normal from Midnight Today,” Says Aviation Ministry
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): More than 1,300 IndiGo flights have been cancelled across the country in the last four days, causing major inconvenience to passengers. Considering the widespread disruption, the Civil Aviation Ministry has taken several important steps and announced that flight operations will start returning to normal from Friday midnight.
The Civil Aviation Ministry said the central government is fully alert about the difficulties faced by passengers and is in constant touch with all stakeholders. It added that, along with the relaxations issued by the DGCA on Friday, every possible step will be taken to restart the schedule, stabilise operations, and reduce inconvenience to travellers. Immediate measures have been implemented for airlines—especially IndiGo—to resolve the large-scale disruption and restore services without delay.
To reduce public inconvenience and stabilise IndiGo’s operations, the ministry has issued strict orders. It confirmed that by midnight tonight, flight schedules will start stabilising and operations will begin returning to normal. Complete stability across services is expected in the next few days. Passengers can track delays from home through IndiGo’s information systems. If a flight is cancelled, passengers will automatically receive a full refund. If travellers get stranded, arrangements have been made to accommodate them in hotels booked by the airline. Special provisions have been made for senior citizens, who will be given lounge access. Passengers of delayed flights will be provided refreshments and other essentials. A 24×7 control room has been activated at the Civil Aviation Ministry to monitor the situation in real time.
Earlier, IndiGo had appealed to passengers to check flight status on its website and notifications before leaving for the airport. It advised travellers to avoid going to the airport if their flight was cancelled. IndiGo also apologised for long waiting times and said it has increased call centre capacity. For flight status, refunds, and rebooking, passengers can use the 6E Sky AI Assistant. The airline assured that the situation will improve daily and efforts are being made to restore passenger confidence.
Following the nationwide IndiGo crisis, the DGCA took action and withdrew its previous order on weekly rest for flight crew. The DGCA issued a letter confirming the withdrawal. The earlier rest requirement had caused a shortage of pilots for IndiGo, leading to more than 1,300 flight cancellations in the past four days.