Bhubaneswar: Replying to a question on the large-scale flight cancellations in the Rajya Sabha, civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Monday said IndiGo’s internal system was responsible for the crisis. When asked about IndiGo holding over 60% of the market share, he reportedly said that he wanted more players in the aviation industry. He took a tough stand on the IndiGo crisis. The minister said the action against the airlines after inquiry would set an example for other airlines.
“We care for pilots, crew and passengers. We made it clear to all the airlines. IndiGo was supposed to manage the crew and roster. Passengers faced a lot of difficulties. We are not taking the situation lightly. We will take strict action. We will set an example for every airline. If there will be any non-compliance, we will take action,” he told the House, as quoted by NDTV.
The Opposition, however, was not happy with the minister’s response. The Opposition MPs staged a walkout. The IndiGo crisis has also prompted the Opposition to flag the duopolistic nature of the Indian civil aviation sector. In India, IndiGo and Air India hold the bulk of the market share.
Akhilesh Yadav’s ‘Hawai Chappal’ on flight jibe
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav hit out at the Centre over soaring airfares and widespread disruptions in IndiGo’s operations. The MP alleged that the government had failed to ensure affordable air travel for commoners.
“Mahakumbh was the biggest congregation, and people had to buy expensive tickets to come to the Mahakumbh. After the Pahalgam terror attack, flight tickets from Srinagar became expensive. Now we are seeing that IndiGo has brought the government to its knees. What is the reason? On one hand, the governmet claimed that even a person wearing ‘Hawai Chappal’ can travel in an aeroplane, but with these ticket costs, those wearing shoes are also unable to afford it… I have heard that the Board of Directors has all BJP members…” the UP leader was quoted as saying by ANI.
About 500 flight cancellations today
Meanwhile, on Monday, nearly 500 IndiGo flights were cancelled. The airline’s operational disruptions continued for the seventh day at a stretch. IndiGo is India’s largest airline. But it is dealing with a massive operational crisis. This has led to mass cancellation and rescheduling of flights since Tuesday last week. According to reports, the airline expects operations to stabilise by December 10.
Facts & figures
“A total of 586,705 PNRs (for period between 01 to 07 December, 2025 were cancelled and refunded, amounting to total of Rs 569.65 crore. A total of 9,55,591 PNRs (for period between 21 November to 07 December, 2025 (2359hrs)) were cancelled and refunded, amounting to total of Rs 827 crores. 4500 bags were delivered to customers out of a total of 9000 bags. Target to deliver balance bags in the next 36 hours. Today, IndiGo plans to operate 1802 flights to 137 out of 138 destinations, with 500 cancellations,” a statement from Ministry of Civil Aviation reads.
Here’s what passengers faced today:
#WATCH | Delhi: Passenger Prince says, “They cancelled my third flight. I was originally supposed to go from Lucknow to Bangalore, but they told me the flight was cancelled and that I should book on Monday. So I booked on Monday and followed their instructions. They said I’d get… https://t.co/TxpnEqDVYe pic.twitter.com/r1tuLR6U6Y
— ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2025
#WATCH | Delhi: Visuals from Indira Gandhi International Airport’s Terminal-1, where IndiGo passengers’ luggage is lying, amid flight cancellations and delays pic.twitter.com/1WYb83stAv
— ANI (@ANI) December 8, 2025
