Indian Government Orders IndiGo to Complete All Passenger Refunds Following Massive Flight Cancellations

IndiGo has been directed to establish dedicated support centers for passengers and refund facilitation.

The civil aviation ministry has mandated IndiGo to process all ticket refunds for flights cancelled by 8 PM Sunday, following several days of major disruptions affecting thousands of travelers.

As India's largest airline, IndiGo cancelled over 1,000 flights on Friday and continued experiencing significant operational challenges on Saturday with more than 400 flights cancelled across various airports. The ministry has cautioned that any delays or failures in processing refunds would trigger immediate regulatory consequences.

The ministry stated that airlines have been instructed not to impose any rescheduling fees for passengers whose travel plans were impacted by these cancellations.

IndiGo must also establish dedicated passenger support and refund facilitation teams. These teams are required to proactively contact affected travelers and complete refunds or arrange alternative travel solutions without requiring multiple follow-ups from passengers. The automatic refund system will continue until operations fully normalize.

Additionally, the ministry has directed that any luggage separated from passengers due to cancellations or delays must be located and delivered within a 48-hour timeframe.

Airlines have been instructed to maintain transparent communication with passengers regarding baggage tracking and delivery schedules, and to provide appropriate compensation as required under existing passenger rights regulations.

Amid the ongoing airport disruptions, Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu stated on Friday, "We expect complete restoration of services within the next three days. With the implementation of various operational measures, flight schedules should return to normal by tomorrow (Saturday)." He further mentioned that the government has temporarily suspended the new flight duty regulations and ordered a high-level investigation to determine the causes and accountability for IndiGo's service disruptions.

(With inputs from PTI)