NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Saturday directed IndiGo to clear all pending passenger refunds without delay, even as more than 400 domestic flights were cancelled as the crisis affecting the airline reached its fifth day.
The ministry also took a serious note of the unusually high airfares being charged by certain airlines during the ongoing disruption.
“It has been mandated that the refund process for all cancelled or disrupted (IndiGo) flights must be fully completed by 8 pm on Sunday, 7 December. Airlines have also been instructed not to levy any rescheduling charges for passengers whose travel plans were affected by cancellations,” it said in a statement.
The ministry has clarified that any delay or non-compliance in refund processing will invite immediate regulatory action.
To ensure seamless grievance redressal, IndiGo has been instructed to set up dedicated passenger support and refund facilitation cells. These cells have been tasked to proactively contact affected passengers and 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.
The Ministry has directed 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. `
In order to protect passengers from any form of opportunistic pricing, the Ministry has invoked its regulatory powers to ensure fair and reasonable fares across all affected routes.
The ministry’s directive came after airfares on several major routes surged to extraordinary levels as IndiGo cancelled several domestic departures.
The sudden grounding created an immediate shortage of seats, triggering a sharp rise in last-minute ticket prices across the country.
Delhi-Mumbai fares on Air India peaked at Rs 60,000 on Friday. On the Chennai-Delhi route, tickets on Air India Express touched Rs 41,000, and SpiceJet quoted as high as Rs 69,000.
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 will continue to closely monitor fare levels through real-time data and active coordination with airlines and online travel platforms. Any deviation from the prescribed norms will attract immediate corrective action in the larger public interest.
“The Ministry of Civil Aviation remains in continuous coordination with airlines, airports, security agencies, and all operational stakeholders to ensure that passenger rights are fully protected during this period of disruption,” the Ministry said.
Oversight mechanisms have been reinforced to guarantee proper facilitation for senior citizens, differently-abled passengers, students, patients, and all those requiring urgent travel.
The Ministry continues to closely monitor the recovery process and remains fully committed to restoring complete operational normalcy at the earliest.
Meanwhile, the railways stepped in to help the harassed passengers by adding extra coaches to its trains to accommodate the rush of people.
Agencies