New Delhi: Amid a major meltdown in its services across India, IndiGo on Friday announced full refunds for all flights cancelled between December 5 and 15. The refunds will be processed automatically to the original mode of payment.
The airline informed through a post on X that it will provide a complete waiver on cancellations or rescheduling during this period. Considering the massive inconvenience caused to passengers, IndiGo has arranged thousands of hotel rooms and surface transport options, along with food and snacks at airports.
Further, IndiGo is offering lounge access to senior citizens wherever possible.
Apologising to travellers, the airline said it was deeply sorry for the flight meltdown that has triggered widespread chaos at all major airports in the country.
As many as 750 flights were cancelled/delayed on Friday, compared to 550 on Thursday.
Delhi’s India Gandhi International airport was the worst affected, with IndiGo cancelling all 235 flights. Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad were also severely affected as thousands of passengers had their travel plans thrown into disarray.
India’s largest airline, which operates around 2,300 flights per day with a fleet of more than 400 aircraft, has attributed the unprecedented disruption to pilot shortage, compounded by new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms and winter-schedule pressures.
The cancellations and delays will continue, the airline said.
The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has allowed IndiGo temporary exemption from flight duty rules so that it can resolve operational issues and reduce passenger problems.
IndiGo was known for its punctual services, but its On-Time Performance (OTP) has dropped sharply — from 35 per cent on Tuesday to 19.7 per cent on Wednesday and 8.5 per cent on Thursday, according to data from the Union Civil Aviation Ministry.
