India’s competition watchdog, the Competition Commission of India (CCI), has taken cognisance of a complaint filed against IndiGo following the massive flight disruptions that affected air travel across the country earlier this month.

In a brief statement issued on Thursday, the CCI said it has examined the information submitted against the airline in connection with the widespread cancellations and delays. “Based on the initial assessment, the Commission has decided to proceed further in the matter in accordance with the provisions of the Competition Act, 2002,” the regulator said.

This means the CCI has found sufficient grounds to carry the matter forward under its legal process. Typically, the Commission first conducts a preliminary review and, if required, may ask its investigation arm, the Director General, to carry out a detailed probe.

IndiGo recently cancelled around 4,500 flights, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded across several cities. The disruptions were among the biggest seen in India’s aviation sector in recent years and caused significant inconvenience to travellers during a busy travel period.

The airline, which controls more than 60 per cent of India’s domestic air traffic, faced widespread criticism over poor planning, particularly related to pilot rostering. The incident also damaged IndiGo’s reputation as a reliable low-cost carrier.

IndiGo did not immediately respond to queries seeking comment on the CCI’s move.

The crisis began shortly after revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules came into effect on November 1. The new rules increased mandatory rest periods for pilots, restricted night flying duties, and made it compulsory for flight crew to have 48 hours of weekly rest.

While the rules were aimed at improving safety and crew welfare, airlines, especially IndiGo, struggled to adjust their rosters quickly. This led to a shortage of available pilots and resulted in large-scale flight cancellations. IndiGo has already refunded over INR 800 crore to passengers whose flights were cancelled.

The disruptions also highlighted concerns about limited competition in India’s aviation market. IndiGo and Air India together control more than 90% of domestic air travel, creating what industry experts describe as a near-duopoly.

During the cancellations, airfares surged sharply on several routes due to reduced availability, prompting the government to impose temporary fare caps to protect passengers.

The airline is also under scrutiny from the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu has said that no airline, irrespective of its size or market share, will be allowed to inconvenience passengers.

Meanwhile, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers, in a video message to employees, said that the airline has now stabilised operations. He added that the company is focusing on improving resilience, conducting a root-cause analysis, and rebuilding systems to prevent such disruptions in the future.

As the CCI process moves ahead, the case is expected to draw closer attention to competition, pricing behaviour, and operational accountability in India’s fast-growing aviation sector.