IndiGo flights cancelled: Who is eligible for refund, and what passengers must do now
India’s largest carrier, IndiGo, is still struggling to restore normal operations after one of the worst aviation breakdowns India has seen in years.
The airline cancelled over 1,000 flights on December 5 and more than 800 the next day, triggering chaos at major airports such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Kolkata.
With passengers stranded and tempers high, the DGCA issued a show-cause notice to CEO Pieter Elbers, citing poor planning, inadequate resource management and failure to provide timely assistance during the rollout of revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL). IndiGo has been given 24 hours to explain why action should not be taken.
According to government and industry officials, the meltdown was fuelled by IndiGo’s insufficient preparedness for the second phase of FDTL rules, which sharply limited pilot availability during the peak December travel season. Compounding the disruption were weather issues, congestion, tech glitches, and winter schedule changes.
As a temporary measure, the DGCA has eased certain FDTL norms for IndiGo until early February—an intervention that has drawn criticism from pilot bodies concerned about fatigue-related safety risks.
Govt order: Refunds by December 7 evening
With thousands of passengers stuck or forced to rebook at steep prices, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has issued a strict directive to IndiGo on refunds and charges.
According to the order:
IndiGo must complete all pending refunds for cancelled or disrupted flights by 8:00 pm on Sunday, December 7, 2025.
No rescheduling fees can be charged to passengers whose flights were cancelled or heavily delayed during the crisis period.
The ministry has also imposed fare caps on affected routes to prevent airlines from overcharging stranded travellers.
IndiGo has publicly stated that it is addressing all customer refund issues on “top priority” and is complying with the government’s directions.
Who is eligible for a full refund?
Multiple airlines and the government have clarified how refunds should work in this disruption window. For IndiGo specifically:
The airline has announced that it will fully refund all bookings cancelled between December 5 and December 15, without any questions asked.
Passengers whose flights were cancelled outright are entitled to a full refund if they choose not to travel.
Flyers hit by major schedule changes can also seek a refund or free rebooking under IndiGo’s “Plan B” option. You typically qualify if:
- Your flight is cancelled
- Your departure is advanced by at least 1 hour, or
- Your flight is delayed by 2 hours or more from the original departure time.
Travel portals and OTAs have separately said they will refund their own convenience/assured fees for IndiGo tickets on specified dates, but that depends on the platform’s policy.
How to claim your IndiGo refund
Passengers can seek refunds through multiple channels:
- Direct IndiGo bookings (website/app/call centre)
- Use the “Manage Booking” / Plan B section on the IndiGo website or app.
- Choose “Cancel & Refund” or opt to change your flight at no extra charge (within the crisis window).
- Keep screenshots or emails confirming the cancellation and refund request.
Tickets booked via travel agents/OTAs
- Contact your travel agent or booking platform first; the refund usually flows back through the same channel.
- If the intermediary is slow, you can still complain directly with IndiGo and with the government’s AirSewa portal.
- Escalation if the refund is delayed
- File a grievance on AirSewa or with the DGCA if refunds are not processed despite the December 7 deadline. Airlines are expected to acknowledge complaints within 7 days and attempt resolution within 30 days.
Latest status (As of Dec 7): Are IndiGo flights still being cancelled?
IndiGo says operations are gradually improving, though far from completely normal: The number of cancellations on Saturday fell below 850, compared to more than 1,000 the previous day.
The airline claims it has now re-established about 95% of its network, operating to 135 of its 138 destinations and running more than 1,500 flights by the end of Saturday.
CEO Pieter Elbers has indicated that operations are expected to be broadly back to normal between December 10 and 15, though some routes will continue to see trimmed schedules into February under the revised plan.
For now, passengers flying IndiGo over the next week are being advised to:
Check their flight status repeatedly before leaving for the airport,
Build in extra buffer time for connections, and
Make sure their contact details in the PNR are correct so they receive any last-minute alerts.