Govt's big order to IndiGo on refunds, baggage handling. Airline responds

The ordeal for IndiGo passengers continued on Saturday as over 500 flights were cancelled with Bengaluru airport being the worst affected.

The ministry of civil aviation has directed the IndiGo airlines to issue refunds by December 7 to passengers who have been impacted by the massive cancellations and delays triggered by operational disruptions of India's largest airlines over the past few days.

Passengers wait outside the IndiGo Airlines kiosk at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on December 6, 2025 (AFP)

Track updates on IndiGo cancellations here

“The Ministry has mandated that the refund process for all cancelled or disrupted flights must be fully completed by 8:00 PM on Sunday, 7 December 2025. Airlines have also been instructed not to levy any rescheduling charges for passengers whose travel plans were affected by cancellations,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that any delay or non-compliance in refund processing will invite “immediate regulatory action.”

The ordeal for IndiGo passengers continued on Saturday as over 500 flights were cancelled with Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport being the worst affected.

Other redressal mechanisms proposed by civil aviation ministry

• IndiGo has been directed to set up a dedicated passenger support and refund facilitation cells to proactively contact affected passengers. The ministry said the cells will ensure that refunds and alternative travel arrangements are processed without the need for multiple follow-ups. “The system of automatic refunds will remain active until operations stabilise completely,” it said.

• The civil aviation ministry asked IndiGo to ensure that all baggage that was separated from passengers due to cancellations or delays is traced and delivered to the passenger’s residential or chosen address within the next 48 hours. “Airlines have been told to maintain clear communication with passengers regarding tracking and delivery timelines, and to provide compensation where required under existing passenger rights regulations,” it said.
• The ministry said it is in touch with airlines, airports, security agencies, and all operational stakeholders to ensure that passenger rights are fully protected during this period of disruption. “Oversight mechanisms have been reinforced to guarantee proper facilitation for senior citizens, differently-abled passengers, students, patients, and all those requiring urgent travel,” it said adding that recovery process is being monitored.

IndiGo responds

Following the government order on refunds for cancellations, IndiGo announced that it will fully refund all bookings cancelled between December 5 and December 15.

The government has also taken note of massive price surge in airfares following the IndiGo chaos. The ministry of civil aviation has invoked its regulatory powers to ensure fair and reasonable fares across all affected routes in order to protect passengers from any form of opportunistic pricing.

“An official directive has been issued to all airlines mandating strict adherence to the fare caps that have now been prescribed. These caps will remain in force until the situation fully stabilises. The objective of this directive is to maintain pricing discipline in the market, prevent any exploitation of passengers in distress, and ensure that citizens who urgently need to travel — including senior citizens, students, and patients — are not subjected to financial hardship during this period,” the ministry said.