IndiGo Airlines was instructed by the Central Government to promptly provide compensation to passengers impacted by major aircraft delays and cancellations earlier this month. The carrier was also instructed to make sure that no qualified passenger was left out of relief measures. Amid growing complaints from stranded travelers and delayed refunds, Aviation Secretary Samir Sinha issued the decision during a high-level review meeting. According to officials, IndiGo has been ordered to finish the compensation process on schedule and to remain transparent at all times.
As part of the relief package, IndiGo will start providing ₹10,000 travel vouchers starting on December 26 to those who suffered greatly during the disruption period of December 3, 4, and 5, when thousands of people were stuck at airports for several hours. In accordance with current government aviation regulations, the vouchers will be given in addition to the required financial compensation of ₹5,000 to ₹10,000. Officials claim that IndiGo has been directed to start compensation payments for customers who purchased tickets straight from the airline’s website within a week because their booking information is easily available.
The airline has been directed to compensate passengers directly, including those who booked tickets through online travel agencies (OTAs), by collecting passenger data from these platforms. The DGCA will ensure compensation reaches all affected passengers, while the Civil Aviation Ministry will monitor the process via the Air Seva portal. Although IndiGo claims refunds for all cancelled flights have been processed in full, many OTA-booked passengers continue to face delays. Between December 1 and 9, IndiGo cancelled 4,354 flights, potentially affecting over 3.8 lakh passengers. The total compensation liability is estimated to exceed ₹376 crore.
