IndiGo offers full refund for flights canceled between December 5 and 5 as chaos continues
Amid widespread disruptions, IndiGo announced a full refund policy for all flights canceled between December 5 and 15. Refunds will be automatically processed back to the original payment method. In addition to this, the airline is offering a complete waiver of cancellations or rescheduling during this period and has arranged thousands of hotel rooms, surface transportation and dining options to alleviate passenger inconvenience.
As IndiGo’s operational crisis continues, the airline has announced to X that it will automatically provide full refunds for all flights canceled between December 5 and 15. This comes as the airline faces nationwide disruption. In addition to offering refunds, IndiGo has provided a complete waiver of flight cancellations or changes during the affected period.
To support stranded passengers, IndiGo arranged hotel rooms, surface transportation, and food and snacks at airports. Access to the lounge is also offered to elderly people, where possible. The airline apologized for the massive disruptions, acknowledging the chaos caused at the country’s major airports.
On Friday, IndiGo reported the highest number of cancellations, with more than 750 flights affected, compared to 550 cancellations the day before and 85 on Wednesday. Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad were the worst affected cities, with Delhi alone recording 235 flight cancellations.
The airline, which typically operates around 2,300 flights a day with a fleet of more than 400 aircraft, blamed the disruptions on a shortage of pilots, further compounded by pressures from the winter schedule. IndiGo has also requested partial relaxation in FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitations) norms to stabilize its operations, as full implementation is not expected before February 2026.
This operational collapse resulted in a drastic fall in IndiGo’s on-time performance (OTP). From an OTP of 35% on Tuesday, it fell to 19.7% on Wednesday and further plunged to just 8.5% on Thursday, according to the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation. This sharp decline has impacted IndiGo’s reputation for punctuality.
The airline informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that further cancellations would take place until December 8 and a reduction in services is expected from that day onwards.
