Sources indicate the government is considering removing IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and imposing heavy penalties, following the carrier’s failure to manage a pilot-rest rule transition that triggered mass disruptions and stranded thousands.
BY PC Bureau
New Delhi, December 6, 2025: The Civil Aviation Ministry on Saturday announced temporary fare caps to curb the steep rise in air ticket prices after massive delays and cancellations crippled IndiGo’s domestic operations.
In a statement, the ministry said it had taken “serious note” of unusually high fares being charged by certain airlines amid the chaos.
“To protect passengers from opportunistic pricing, the Ministry has invoked its regulatory powers to ensure fair and reasonable fares across all affected routes,” the statement said.
The government has issued a formal directive mandating strict adherence to the new capped fares, which will remain in force until normalcy is restored. The ministry said the move was aimed at preventing exploitation of passengers — particularly senior citizens, students, and medical travellers — who urgently need to fly.
It added that fare levels would be monitored through real-time data, with constant coordination between airlines and online travel platforms.
In a separate statement, the ministry directed IndiGo to clear all pending refunds by 8 PM on Sunday, December 7, 2025. Airlines have also been instructed not to charge rescheduling fees for passengers whose plans were disrupted.
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 6, 2025
Government May Seek IndiGo CEO’s Removal
Sources have indicated that the government is likely to push for the removal of IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers after the airline’s mishandling of the new pilot rest regulations triggered mass cancellations and left thousands of passengers stranded across the country. Officials say a major crackdown is under active consideration, with discussions underway on imposing a hefty financial penalty on the carrier and reducing the number of flights it is allowed to operate.
The government is also examining a high-level review of IndiGo’s compliance standards and the planning failures that led to the unprecedented disruption. The airline, which commands nearly two-thirds of India’s domestic aviation market, is now facing its toughest regulatory scrutiny yet as authorities assess accountability for the crisis.
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Day 5 of Disruptions
Hundreds of IndiGo flights were cancelled on Saturday as the crisis entered its fifth day. IndiGo, which operates over 2,300 flights daily with a fleet of more than 400 aircraft, has seen its punctuality collapse due to a pilot shortage triggered by planning lapses, officials said.
Airports across the country witnessed scenes of chaos, with passengers confronting long delays, last-minute cancellations, and limited assistance.
IndiGo Apologises
On Friday night, IndiGo issued a public apology on X, acknowledging the severe inconvenience caused to passengers over the past several days.
“We deeply apologise and understand how difficult the past few days have been,” the airline said in its statement. “While this will not get resolved overnight, we assure you that we are doing everything possible to bring operations back to normal at the earliest.”
We are sorry 🙏 pic.twitter.com/8DmY2rJrjR
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 5, 2025
The airline reiterated that refunds for all cancelled flights would be processed automatically to passengers’ original mode of payment, and added that its customer support teams were working round-the-clock to address pending queries.
IndiGo’s CEO had earlier stated that a full normalisation of domestic flight operations is expected between December 10 and 15. However, he cautioned that the recovery would be gradual given the scale of disruption and the sheer size of IndiGo’s network, which operates over 2,300 flights a day.
