New Delhi: IndiGo has announced that it expects to pay more than Rs 500 crore in compensation to passengers affected by large-scale flight cancellations and severe disruptions earlier this month. The airline said the payments will cover customers whose flights were cancelled within 24 hours of departure and those who were left stranded at select airports across the country.
The airline stated that it is currently identifying flights where passengers faced serious inconvenience on December 3, 4 and 5. Once this review is completed, IndiGo plans to directly contact impacted customers in January to facilitate the compensation process. The carrier emphasised that its aim is to make refunds and compensation transparent, simple and hassle-free.
IndiGo said its immediate priority is to complete all pending refunds for affected passengers. According to the airline, a majority of refunds have already been processed, and the remaining transactions are expected to be credited shortly. The company added that refunds and compensation are being handled with urgency to minimise further inconvenience to customers.
Operationally, the airline said it has been steadily restoring normal services after last week’s disruptions. On Friday, IndiGo operated more than 2,000 flights across its network under a revised schedule. The airline said all 138 of its operational destinations are currently connected, and on-time performance has returned to normal levels by its internal standards.
The previous day, IndiGo operated over 1,950 flights with only four same-day cancellations. These cancellations were attributed to adverse weather conditions, and affected passengers were informed in advance to reduce disruption.
To address the underlying issues that led to the widespread cancellations and delays, IndiGo has engaged an external aviation consultancy to conduct a detailed root cause analysis. The review is expected to examine operational processes and recommend corrective measures to prevent similar disruptions in the future.
Regulatory scrutiny has also intensified following the disruptions. The aviation regulator has sought explanations from senior management and has stepped up monitoring of the airline’s operations. With passenger confidence and regulatory oversight in focus, IndiGo’s compensation commitment marks a significant step as it works to stabilise operations and address customer grievances ahead of the busy travel season.
