The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has imposed a Rs 22.2 crore fine on IndiGo for large-scale flight disruptions witnessed in December 2025, the aviation regulator said in a statement issued on Saturday.
The penalty follows a probe into widespread operational chaos between December 3 and December 5, during which the airline faced massive cancellations and delays, causing significant inconvenience to passengers across airports.
Probe Followed Widespread Disruptions
The fine comes more than a month after the DGCA constituted a four-member committee to investigate the disruption during the three-day period.
According to official data, IndiGo cancelled 2,507 flights and reported 1,852 delayed flights during the period under scrutiny.
Serious Administrative And Operational Lapses Found
The DGCA said its investigation uncovered serious administrative and operational shortcomings on the part of the airline. Based on the findings, the regulator decided to take strict action against IndiGo.
In addition to the financial penalty, the DGCA has also directed the airline to furnish a bank guarantee of ₹50 crore, signalling heightened regulatory scrutiny.
Top Executives Issued a Warning
The regulator has also issued a formal warning to IndiGo’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Operating Officer (COO), holding the airline’s top leadership accountable for the lapses.
The action underscores the DGCA’s stance that airlines must ensure operational preparedness and passenger safety, particularly during peak travel periods.
Regulator’s Statement
The DGCA said the action was taken after examining the findings of the inquiry committee and reviewing the scale of passenger inconvenience caused by the cancellations and delays in December.
How IndiGo Responded
IndiGo stated the fine imposed by DGCA, saying its board and management were committed to taking appropriate measures following the flight disruptions.
"We are in receipt of the orders of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation ofIndia in relation to the events which led to a major operational disruption of IndiGo's flights in early December, 2025," the chairman and members of the board of directors of InterGlobe Aviation Limited said in a statement issued on January 17. "We would like to take this opportunity to inform all of our stakeholders, particularly our valued customers, that the Board and the Management of IndiGo are committed to taking full cognisance of the orders and will, in a thoughtful and timely manner, take appropriate measures," it added. The airline further stated that an in-depth review of the internal processes at IndiGo has been underway since the disruption. The review has been initiated "to ensure that the airline emerges stronger out of these events in its otherwise pristine record of 19+ years of operations." "IndiGo remains committed to steadfastly serving the needs of India and her people, and play a humble role in ensuring that our country emerges as a Global aviation major by 2030," the airline said, reiterating its stance.