DGCA Holds IndiGo CEO Accountable, Issues Show-Cause Notice Amid Ongoing Flight Disruptions

New Delhi, Dec 2025 : The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Sunday held IndiGo’s top management directly responsible for the continuing wave of flight disruptions, issuing a show-cause notice to the airline’s Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers after the low-cost carrier cancelled several more flights across the country.

The aviation regulator has sought a detailed explanation from Elbers within 24 hours, asking why enforcement action should not be initiated against him following large-scale delays and cancellations that severely disrupted air travel nationwide. The action comes as thousands of passengers continue to face inconvenience, missed connections, and uncertainty.

According to the DGCA, IndiGo failed to comply with Rule 42A of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, along with the Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs) related to pilot fatigue management and crew scheduling. These rules are designed to ensure flight safety by preventing overworked crew operations.

In its notice, the DGCA stated: “Such large-scale operational failures indicate significant lapses in planning, oversight and resource management, and prima facie non-compliance on the part of the airline.” The regulator further underlined that as the CEO, Elbers is responsible for ensuring the reliable functioning of the airline’s operations.

“Whereas, as the CEO you are responsible for ensuring effective management of the airline, you have failed in your duty to ensure timely arrangements for reliable operations and availability of requisite facilities to passengers,” the notice said.

The DGCA also highlighted the “massive disruptions” in IndiGo’s schedule, noting that they caused “severe inconvenience, hardship and distress” to travellers across major airports. The disruptions have affected thousands of passengers over several days, triggering repeated cancellations, long delays, and chaos at terminals.

Earlier, in a video message released on Friday, CEO Pieter Elbers acknowledged the crisis and said the airline’s size and operational complexity meant that restoring full normalcy would take time. “We do anticipate a return to a normal operating situation between December 10 and 15,” he said.

Meanwhile, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu assured that the government has implemented several measures to protect passengers and prevent further escalation of the crisis. He confirmed that a full-scale investigation into IndiGo’s operations is underway.

“We are conducting a thorough investigation into IndiGo. We will take whatever steps are necessary with utmost caution. The Ministry has also constituted a four-member probe team to examine the matter,” the minister said.

In a significant move to curb passenger exploitation during the crisis, the Ministry of Civil Aviation imposed a country-wide cap on domestic airfares following the sudden surge in ticket prices triggered by mass cancellations. The cap ranges between Rs 7,500 and Rs 18,000, depending on route length.

With regulatory scrutiny intensifying, pressure mounting on the airline’s leadership, and public outrage growing, the coming days will be critical for IndiGo as it attempts to stabilise operations and regain passenger confidence.

Team Maverick.