New Delhi: On the Day 6 of the IndiGo airlines crisis, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport is set to summon airline officials and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), according to reports. The Parliamentary Panel meeting will be held on several issues, including the airfare hike and measures to prevent future disruptions, reported India Today.
In a fresh management message, IndiGo on Sunday said it had formed a crisis management group to monitor the situation and is ‘doing everything possible’ to resolve the challenges. However, over 300 flights had been cancelled on Sunday in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai. Earlier, the airline had mentioned on Saturday that it had restored over 95% of its network connectivity, marking the first clear turnaround after a week of unprecedented cancellations and disruptions. The airline said it was now connecting 135 of its 138 destinations and expects to operate over 1,500 flights by the end of the day, signalling what it called “early signs of improvement.”
The restoration came after IndiGo implemented a full-scale overhaul of its crewing systems and rosters following days of operational paralysis triggered by the DGCA’s new Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) norms. The airline admitted that it had not anticipated the scale of crew shortages that would arise once stricter rest rules came into force on December 1, leading to thousands of cancellations and flight delays across the country.
DGCA Steps In, IndiGo Scrambles To Recover
Through the day, IndiGo continued its gradual ramp-up from Friday’s skeleton operations, when it ran just over 700 flights, connecting only 113 destinations to stabilise its internal networks before attempting a wider recovery.
The DGCA, which earlier issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers, held the airline accountable for failing to ensure adequate preparation ahead of the rule change. The regulator has sought an explanation within 24 hours and asked the airline to prioritise passenger assistance and refunds.
Aviation authorities also directed IndiGo to process all refunds for cancelled and heavily delayed flights by Sunday evening, and barred the airline from levying any rescheduling or cancellation charges on affected passengers.
What happened at the airports today?
Major airports reported fewer cancellations today compared to previous days, with visible reduction in crowds at check-in counters. However, some delays and last-minute gate changes continued through the afternoon as IndiGo attempted to synchronise aircraft, crew, and rotation schedules.
Airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai—which bore the brunt of the collapse—reported intermittent bottlenecks, though overall congestion eased slightly.
What Passengers Faced Today: Long Queues, Uncertain Departures And Helpline Strain
Despite the airline’s announcements, many passengers continued to struggle through the day:
Long queues remained at check-in counters at Delhi and Mumbai in the morning hours, with several travellers reporting 1–2 hour waits.
Last-minute gate changes and rolling delays were frequent, leaving passengers repeatedly moving across terminals.
Many passengers said customer care lines remained unresponsive, making it difficult to confirm the status of onward connections.
Some travellers reported arriving at airports only to learn that their flights had been rescheduled or clubbed with later departures, causing missed events and meetings.
A few passengers, including families with children and elderly travellers, said they spent hours waiting with little clarity as staff remained overwhelmed.
