Air India and Air India Express have announced fare caps, fee waivers, and expanded operations to support passengers stranded after a week of severe disruptions across India’s aviation network.

The steps follow widespread cancellations at IndiGo, higher airfares on major routes, and long queues at airports that have affected thousands of travelers since the start of December, The Economic Times reported.

A week of disruptions affected India’s largest airline.

Over the past six days, IndiGo faced operational strain due to new crew-rostering rules, limited staff availability, and system issues. These factors reduced the airline’s capacity to run its full schedule. The carrier cancelled more than 200 flights on peak days and delayed several others.

Major hubs such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad reported heavy congestion as passengers waited for updated schedules or rebooked on later flights. The airline’s on-time performance also dropped sharply, intensifying the pressure across the network.

Fare spikes and government intervention

With IndiGo withdrawing several flights, seat availability narrowed across busy routes. Travelers attempting to book last-minute tickets reported a steep rise in fares.

This prompted the Ministry of Civil Aviation to issue a directive on 6 December, requiring all airlines to follow prescribed fare caps until conditions return to normal.

Air India and Air India Express had already capped economy fares on nonstop domestic flights from 4 December and confirmed that they are now ensuring full compliance with the latest order.

Air India alleviates the inconvenience

To offer flexibility during the disruption, Air India and Air India Express have introduced a one-time waiver on change and cancellation fees for eligible passengers. Travellers who booked tickets until 4 December for journeys until 15 December can modify their travel dates without paying the rescheduling charge or cancel with a full refund.

This benefit is valid for changes or cancellations made until 8 December. Fare differences will apply if the revised travel date carries a higher fare. Passengers can contact the airlines’ 24x7 call centers or approach travel agents, while Air India Express customers also have the option to use its chatbot, Tia.