IndiGo Flight Disruption Row: DGCA Slaps Rs 22 Cr Fine on IndiGo, Warnings Issued To IndiGo CEO

IndiGo Flight Disruption: Nearly a month after lakhs of air travellers suffered due to IndiGo flight disruptions, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has imposed a Rs 22 crore penalty on IndiGo over major flight disruptions. The aviation regulator had also issued warnings to senior officials of the company due to poor crisis management.

In response to the DGCA order, IndiGo stated that it will take full cognisance of the orders and will take appropriate action promptly. "We would like to take this opportunity to inform all of our stakeholders, particularly our valued customers, that the Board and the Management of IndiGo are committed to taking full cognisance of the orders and will, in a thoughtful and timely manner, take appropriate measures," stated IndiGo in its press release on Saturday.

DGCA Fines IndiGo For Flight Disruptions

Around 2,507 IndiGo flights were cancelled and approximately 1,852 flights were delayed between December 3 and 5, 2025. The flight disruptions had affected more than three lakh passengers and triggered a detailed probe into the airline's planning, staffing and compliance with updated safety rules. DGCA investigators linked the disruption to how IndiGo structured crew rosters, handled new Flight Duty Time Limitation norms and supervised day-to-day operations.

New DGCA Rules Linked To Flight Duty Time Limitation

DGCA concluded that prolonged Flight Duty Time Limitation violations and wider systemic lapses were central to the December disruption. The regulator said IndiGo relied on over-optimisation of operations, showed weak preparedness for revised FDTL rules and faced shortcomings in software systems, operational control processes and management oversight at different levels, according to a CNBC TV 18 report.

DGCA Fines IndiGo

The watchdog split the financial action into two parts. A Rs 20.40 crore penalty relates to continued non-compliance with revised FDTL norms across 68 days. A separate one-time systemic penalty of Rs 1.80 crore addresses multiple regulatory breaches identified during the inquiry. DGCA also instructed IndiGo to submit a Rs 50 crore bank guarantee to back corrective reforms.

DGCA had also issued warnings to IndiGo's Chief of Executive Officer for inadequate crisis management during the disruption. The Chief Operating Officer received a warning for failing to properly assess the impact of regulatory changes, while several senior officials in flight operations and crew planning were also formally cautioned.

The Senior Vice President (Operations Control Centre) has been directed to step aside from current responsibilities. DGCA said this move is meant to address concerns about how the operations control centre handled crew deployment, real-time decision-making and risk linked to the revised FDTL norms in the run-up to the December schedule breakdown.