IndiGo is slowly regaining its footing after a major operational crisis that left thousands of passengers stranded across India. The low-cost carrier announced on Saturday that it has restored over 95% of its network, operating to 135 of its 138 destinations, with plans to run more than 1,500 flights by the end of the day.

Amid government directives to clear refunds and return lost baggage within 48 hours, IndiGo is prioritizing passenger support while working to stabilize schedules and rebuild trust following days of widespread cancellations, Gulf News reported.

DGCA issues show-cause notice to IndiGo CEO

India’s aviation crisis deepened on Saturday as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers, seeking an explanation for the airline’s growing wave of cancellations, delays, and operational failures. The regulator has given him 24 hours to respond, warning that failure to do so could lead to strict action.

The notice marks one of the toughest interventions by the DGCA in recent years and comes amid rising public anger over nationwide disruptions that have caused major inconvenience and distress to passengers. According to the regulator, the immediate trigger was IndiGo’s failure to prepare for the rollout of revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) for pilots—changes that were announced well in advance and took effect on November 1.

The DGCA said IndiGo did not make the necessary adjustments to its rosters, manpower, and systems in time, resulting in widespread crew shortages and a cascading operational breakdown across its network of 138 destinations. “Scheduled flights of M/s IndiGo Airlines have recently faced massive disruptions resulting in severe inconvenience, hardship, and distress to passengers,” the notice stated.

It further noted that the airline failed to meet the revised duty and rest rules for cockpit crew, breached Rule 42A of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, and violated several Civil Aviation Requirements related to duty periods. IndiGo was also accused of not providing the assistance and facilities required for passengers affected by delays and cancellations.

The notice directly holds Elbers responsible, stating that as CEO he is accountable for ensuring stable operations and proper passenger support. If IndiGo does not respond within the stipulated time, the DGCA will proceed ex parte, leaving the airline exposed to penalties that could include fines or operational restrictions.

IndiGo restores 95% of network after flight chaos

As the Indian government initiated regulatory action following IndiGo’s recent operational chaos that disrupted travel for thousands of passengers, the airline said on Saturday that it has restored over 95 percent of its network, operating to 135 of its 138 destinations.

In an updated statement, IndiGo acknowledged the scale of the disruption. “While addressing recent network issues, we had to cancel a significant number of flights and operated just over 700 flights yesterday, connecting 113 destinations,” a spokesperson said.

“The main objective was to reboot our network, systems, and rosters so that we could start today with a higher number of flights and improved operational stability. There are already early signs of improvement,” the spokesperson added.

IndiGo said it is on track to operate more than 1,500 flights by the end of the day.

“While we know there is still a long way to go, we remain committed to rebuilding the trust of our customers. We thank all our partners and government agencies for their continued support and guidance,” the airline said.

The spokesperson concluded with an apology: “We apologize once again for the inconvenience caused and are working diligently to restore normal operations across our network.”

IndiGo prioritises refunds after government deadline

IndiGo, under growing criticism for widespread flight disruptions, said on Saturday that it is processing all customer refunds on priority.

The statement came shortly after the government ordered the airline to clear every pending refund by 8pm on Sunday, following days of cancellations and delays across the country.

“We are addressing all customer refunds as a priority. We are also working closely with airports and partners to ensure timely updates are shared with passengers at terminals, on our website, and through direct notifications,” the airline said.

IndiGo added that it is “working determinedly to bring operations back on track,” with teams focused on stabilizing schedules, cutting delays, and assisting affected travellers.

The airline noted a slight improvement in operations, stating that cancellations had dropped to below 850 flights on Saturday—significantly lower than the previous day.

“We will continue working to bring this number down over the next few days,” it added.