'How can airlines charge ₹35,000?' Delhi HC raps Centre, DGCA amid IndiGo flight cancellations — Key updates

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday questioned the central government on why the mass cancellation of IndiGo flights was allowed to “precipitate,” criticising the civil aviation ministry and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for failing to curb fare surges by other carriers capitalizing on the disruption.

A bench of chief justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and justice Tushar Rao Gedela observed that passengers faced both operational chaos and predatory pricing. “Tickets available for ₹5,000 suddenly shot up to ₹35,000- ₹39,000,” the court said. “How could other airlines start charging this? How can such a situation be allowed? If there is a crisis, how can airlines be permitted to take advantage?”

The court was hearing a public interest litigation PIL filed by advocate Akhil Rana, seeking directions for passenger support and refunds amid flight cancellations.

IndiGo cancelled more than 2,000 flights over the past week, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. The airline cited a multitude of “unforeseen operational challenges”, primarily crew shortages triggered by new flight duty time limitation (FDTL) rules, which are designed to prevent pilot fatigue by capping flying hours and mandating rest periods.

Appearing for the civil aviation ministry and the DGCA, assistant solicitor general Chetan Sharma said the government had taken multiple steps to stabilize operations “without knee-jerk reactions.” Measures included directing IndiGo to cut 10% of flights, imposing temporary fare caps across airlines, launching an inquiry, and mandating daily fare submissions to prevent price gouging.

Sharma outlined emergency support already in place: automatic refunds, hotel accommodation for stranded passengers, lounge access, and priority assistance for senior citizens, children, and persons with disabilities. A round-the-clock control room has also been set up to monitor disruptions in real time.

He added that the DGCA was considering penalties under Section 19 of the Aircraft Act, which allows the Centre to restrict, suspend, or cancel an airline’s licence for violations. “10% route curtailment has been ordered, a show-cause notice issued, penalties are underway, and an inquiry committee is in place,” Sharma said.

The bench expressed satisfaction with these measures but emphasised that passenger compensation and support must be ensured.

Senior counsel Sandeep Sethi, appearing for IndiGo, said the airline was “deeply concerned.” “Let’s consider whether this incident has dented the goodwill built over many years,” he told the court. “I am more concerned than anybody else.”

The matter is will be next heard on 21 January.

Background to the crisis

IndiGo’s troubles stem from a pilot shortage exacerbated by the enforcement of revised FDTL rules, which increased weekly rest hours and reduced allowable night landings to address fatigue. These rules, finalized in 2024 after a decade-long court battle, were implemented in two phases — 1 July 2025 and 1 November 2025.

While most airlines adjusted their rosters, IndiGo struggled to align its high-frequency, night-heavy network with the new requirements. Despite informing the DGCA that it was prepared, the airline faced significant gaps in manpower planning, training, and roster restructuring. When the final FDTL phase came into effect on 1 November, cancellations and delays escalated rapidly.

To prevent further operational breakdown, the government temporarily eased certain FDTL provisions for IndiGo, which the DGCA described as a reluctant one-time measure. The regulator later ordered a 10% reduction in IndiGo’s schedule, doubling an earlier 5% cut, and summoned chief executive Pieter Elbers and senior officials to present detailed data on disruptions and compliance gaps.

India’s domestic route structure intensified the crisis. Of nearly 1,200 domestic routes, IndiGo operates over 950. About 600, roughly 63%, are monopoly routes, with another 21% as duopoly routes with only one competitor. With limited alternative capacity, cancellations on IndiGo’s network immediately pushed fares higher, compounding the overall disruption.