The Central government has informed the Delhi High Court about actions taken against IndiGo Airlines following an inquiry into the mass flight cancellations that caused chaos at airports and left numerous passengers stranded. The government, in response to a public interest litigation seeking an independent judicial investigation into the IndiGo crisis, directed the airline and the Centre to submit affidavits within two weeks outlining the measures taken, including compensation for affected passengers.
After reviewing the inquiry committee’s report, the government directed IndiGo’s Senior Vice President to step down and imposed a penalty of approximately Rs 22 crore on the airline. Additionally, IndiGo has been instructed to provide a bank guarantee of Rs 50 crore to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to ensure compliance with regulatory directives and implement long-term systemic improvements.
Furthermore, warnings have been issued to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Director, Deputy Head of Flight Operations, and a resource analyst of IndiGo. The airline has already processed refunds for canceled tickets and is in the process of compensating affected and stranded passengers promptly. IndiGo has also launched a dedicated website for affected passengers to apply for compensation.
The Delhi High Court has directed IndiGo to submit these details in an affidavit within two weeks. The court has acknowledged the inquiry committee’s report and the action-taken report filed by the DGCA. Indigo has issued travel vouchers worth Rs. 10,000 with a validity of 12 months to stranded passengers. The court found the time limit reasonable and directed the airline to provide instructions on cases where passengers do not utilize the vouchers within the stipulated period.
The next hearing on this matter is scheduled for February 25.
