The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has submitted its investigation report into the recent large-scale flight disruptions at IndiGo to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The report follows weeks of scrutiny after thousands of passengers were affected by widespread cancellations and delays across the airline’s domestic network earlier this month.
A four-member committee was set up by the aviation regulator on December 5 to examine what led to the operational breakdown. The panel reviewed IndiGo’s crew planning systems, roster management, compliance with revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms, and overall preparedness for schedule changes during the busy travel season. The findings of the report have been kept confidential while the government studies the recommendations.
IndiGo, India’s largest airline by market share, faced severe disruption when a large number of flights were cancelled within a short period, followed by prolonged delays over several days. The airline informed the regulator that challenges in forecasting pilot and cabin crew availability, along with training and rostering gaps, contributed to the crisis. These issues reportedly escalated after new duty time rules came into force.
In response to the situation, the DGCA had earlier ordered a temporary reduction in IndiGo’s winter schedule and issued show-cause notices to senior executives, including top management, seeking explanations for the failures. The regulator also stressed that airlines must ensure full operational readiness before implementing schedule expansions.
With the probe report now submitted, officials have indicated that strict action could follow. Possible measures include financial penalties, tighter regulatory oversight, and directions to strengthen internal systems to prevent recurrence. The government has signalled that accountability will be enforced to protect passenger interests and ensure operational discipline.