IndiGo to Begin ₹375 Crore Payout for December Flight Chaos: What Passengers Get

December 20, 2025 at 04:49 PM•3 min read

IndiGo will issue over ₹375 crore in compensation starting December 26 for December's flight chaos, overseen by the DGCA, setting a new precedent for

Key Points

1IndiGo will begin its compensation program on December 26, 2025, with an estimated total payout exceeding ₹375 crore.
2The plan covers approximately 3.8 lakh passengers affected by the widespread December 2025 flight cancellations and delays.
3Severely impacted passengers (Dec 3-5) will receive a ₹10,000 travel voucher *in addition* to the mandatory DGCA cash compensation of ₹5,000 to ₹10,000.
4The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation are closely supervising the process via the AirSewa portal to ensure full coverage.

IndiGo, India’s largest airline, is starting a major compensation exercise. This follows widespread December 2025 flight cancellations and delays. The airline is preparing a ₹375 crore payout to affected customers. This action covers an estimated 3.8 lakh (380,000) passengers. The move follows direct instructions from the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The operational crisis was largely due to the airline's failure. It did not adjust to the new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules. These rules were mandated by the DGCA. The disruptions peaked between December 3 and 5.

Details of the IndiGo Compensation Plan

The IndiGo compensation plan includes two main parts. These are a special travel voucher and mandatory cash compensation.

Special Vouchers for Stranded Flyers

Travellers stranded at airports between December 3 and 5 will receive a ₹10,000 travel voucher. This voucher is for future travel on IndiGo flights. It will remain valid for 12 months. This is an additional benefit beyond the regulatory requirements.

Mandatory Cash Compensation

All eligible impacted flyers will also receive DGCA passenger compensation. Current Indian aviation rules entitle passengers to cash payouts. This compensation ranges from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000. The final amount varies based on the flight's block time and disruption nature.

Payout Start: Payouts are scheduled to begin on December 26.
First Tranche: Customers who booked directly on the IndiGo website or mobile app will be paid first.
Agent Bookings: For tickets bought via travel agents or Online Travel Aggregators (OTAs), IndiGo must first collect passenger details. Payments will then be released using the same payment channels.

Regulatory Oversight and Industry Impact

This large-scale payout follows a high-level Ministry of Civil Aviation review. Aviation Secretary Samir Sinha chaired the meeting. The government directed the airline to speed up payments.

Supervision and Transparency

The DGCA will actively supervise this IndiGo compensation plan. The process will be monitored through the government's AirSewa grievance redressal portal. This aims to ensure transparency and full coverage of eligible cases.

Broader Industry Implications

The crisis highlighted airline operational disruptions risks. The DGCA also ordered IndiGo to cut its winter schedule by 10%. This was to help stabilize operations. The event serves as a stress test for India's rapidly growing aviation sector. It underscores the critical need for robust crew planning and regulatory compliance. This episode will likely influence future commercial aviation news and regulatory policy.

Conclusion

IndiGo's multi-crore compensation is a major step. It addresses the significant passenger inconvenience caused by the December disruptions. The strict regulatory oversight confirms the government's commitment. It ensures that DGCA passenger compensation rules are fully enforced. This sets a clear standard for passenger rights in the Indian market.