The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed IndiGo to file an affidavit detailing the status of refunds and compensation disbursed to passengers affected by the mass cancellation of flights in early December 2025. The directive came in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) highlighting the inconvenience faced by lakhs of air travellers during the large-scale disruptions.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia was informed by IndiGo’s counsel that refunds for the cancelled flights had been processed and compensation was being provided in accordance with the civil aviation requirements laid down for such situations.
The airline also submitted that passengers impacted by the most severely affected flights were being offered travel vouchers worth ₹10,000, and a dedicated website had been launched to facilitate compensation claims.
Taking note of the submissions, the court directed IndiGo (Respondent No. 3) to submit a detailed affidavit within two weeks outlining the steps taken.
The PIL, filed by advocates Akhil Rana and Utkarsh Sharma, sought directions to the Union Government to ensure that refunds and adequate support were extended to passengers who were stranded following the abrupt cancellation of hundreds of IndiGo flights between December 3 and 5, 2025.
According to data presented by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), during the three-day period, 2,507 flights were cancelled and 1,852 were delayed across the country, affecting more than three lakh passengers.
The petitioners argued that IndiGo’s offer of ₹10,000 as compensation in the form of a voucher was insufficient and raised concerns about the limited validity of such vouchers.
In response, IndiGo’s counsel clarified that the vouchers are valid for a period of 12 months. The bench, however, asked what would happen if a passenger was unable to redeem the voucher within that time and directed the airline to clarify the same in its affidavit. “Please file an affidavit,” the bench reiterated.
Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, appearing for the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the DGCA, informed the court that the regulatory authorities had taken swift action in the aftermath of the disruption.
He revealed that a senior vice president at IndiGo was dismissed, and a penalty of ₹22 crore was imposed on the airline. In addition, the DGCA had asked for a bank guarantee of ₹50 crore to ensure future compliance. Top executives of IndiGo, including the CEO and COO, were issued warnings.
The court was also handed a sealed cover containing the findings of a committee constituted to probe the causes of the widespread cancellations. It has been widely reported that the airline was caught unprepared while implementing revised flight duty norms for pilots, leading to a shortage of operational crew.
The High Court scheduled the next hearing for February 25, 2026, directing all parties to submit their respective affidavits and reports by then.
