Indian Panel Slams IndiGo, DGCA for 'Evasive' Responses on Mass Flight Chaos

December 17, 2025 at 06:26 PM•2 min read

A parliamentary panel found explanations from IndiGo and the Indian DGCA "evasive and unconvincing" regarding widespread flight cancellations and airport

Key Points

1Indian Parliamentary Panel deemed explanations from IndiGo and the DGCA regarding mass flight cancellations as "evasive and unconvincing."
2Ministry officials informed the panel they learned of the scale of the aviation crisis primarily through media reports, highlighting a severe communication gap.
3The committee deferred assigning accountability, awaiting the Civil Aviation Ministry's official inquiry report expected by December 28.
4MPs questioned if the cancellations were an attempt by IndiGo to leverage exemptions from revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms.

A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture in India has strongly criticized both IndiGo and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for their handling of recent mass flight disruptions, deeming their explanations "evasive and unconvincing." The committee, tasked with fixing accountability for the chaos that stranded thousands of passengers nationwide, noted that submissions focused heavily on technical details rather than offering passenger-centric solutions. IndiGo, represented by COO Isidro Porqueras, cited a combination of system-related issues, including a software glitch requiring a reboot, alongside weather-related disruptions as the primary cause for the cancellations.

The panel, chaired by JD(U) MP Sanjay Jha, also flagged a significant communication breakdown within the civil aviation ecosystem. Ministry officials testified that they first became aware of the full scale of the crisis through media reports, indicating a failure in internal reporting mechanisms. Furthermore, some members questioned whether the cancellations were an "arm-twisting tactic" by IndiGo to seek exemptions from newly implemented Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms, while a pilots' body urged strict enforcement of the FDTL rules.

The committee has deferred assigning specific responsibility until the Civil Aviation Ministry completes its internal inquiry. This four-member ministry committee is expected to submit its findings by December 28, which will subsequently guide the parliamentary panel's final conclusions and next steps regarding regulatory oversight and airline accountability.