Bengaluru: IndiGo cancelled over 60 flights from Bengaluru Airport on Wednesday, despite CEO Pieter Elbers claiming on December 9 that operations had stabilised.

The airline axed 61 flights, including 35 arrivals and 26 departures, a source confirmed.

Tuesday saw the government slash IndiGo's winter schedule by 10 per cent, about 220 of nearly 2,200 daily flights, after 460 cancellations from six metros alone. Elbers then asserted the carrier was "back on the feet" with stable operations and lakhs of refunds issued, but stayed silent on compensation for abrupt cancellations, delays, or rescheduling.

Under the Civil Aviation Ministry's passenger charter, airlines must automatically compensate for certain delays or cancellations without passenger requests.

IndiGo's nationwide cancellations, triggered by inadequate preparation for stricter safety rules since December 1, stranded passengers, spiked rival airfares, and disrupted airports across India.

The crisis prompted DGCA show-cause notices to Elbers and COO Isidro Proqueras, also the accountable manager for Rahul Bhatia-controlled IndiGo, plus airfare caps.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu announced the 10 per cent cut on Tuesday, stating, "The Ministry considers it necessary to curtail the overall Indigo routes, which will help in stabilising the airline's operations and lead to reduced cancellations. A curtailment of 10 per cent has been ordered. While abiding by it, Indigo will continue to cover all its destinations as before."

Earlier Tuesday, DGCA mandated a 5 per cent schedule reduction, demanding a revised plan by 5 p.m. Wednesday.

With inputs from PTI