New Delhi, 7 December (H.S.): India’s largest airline, IndiGo, remains embroiled in a severe operational crisis six days after its emergence, with extensive flight cancellations causing long queues at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. The airline has announced a strategic network reboot and aims to operate over 1,500 flights today as part of its recovery efforts.IndiGo confirmed that it has restored connectivity on more than 95 percent of its network, currently serving 135 of its 138 destinations.

The airline is working under stringent scrutiny from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), striving to stabilize operations amid a sector-wide crisis. Concurrently, Indian Railways has launched 89 special trains over the next three days to alleviate passenger congestion in major urban centers.

On Saturday night, DGCA issued a showcause notice to IndiGo CEO Peter Elbers and responsible manager Isidro Porqueras, demanding explanations within 24 hours for the severe flight disruptions. The government has directed the airline to track and deliver passengers’ baggage within 48 hours and to complete the refund process for cancelled or delayed flights by 8 pm on December 7.

In response to the surge in airfares due to the crisis, the central government has imposed fare caps across all airlines: a maximum of ₹7,500 for distances up to 500 km, ₹12,000 for 500-1000 km, and ₹18,000 for longer routes, excluding business class fares.

Notably, IndiGo cancelled over 800 flights on the fifth day of the crisis, impacting thousands of travelers. The airline controls approximately two-thirds of India’s domestic aviation market and typically operates about 2,300 flights daily, underscoring the substantial ripple effects of the ongoing disruption.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar