MoCA Officials Inspect Key Airports as IndiGo Faces Operational Curbs

December 10, 2025 at 12:00 AM•2 min read

Indian MoCA officials inspected airports and ordered IndiGo to cut operations by 10% amid widespread flight disruptions.

Key Points

1MoCA officials launched surprise inspections at key Indian airports, including Mumbai and Kolkata, responding to significant flight disruptions.
2The Indian Civil Aviation Ministry mandated IndiGo to reduce its overall operations by 10% to stabilize services, citing internal mismanagement.
3Mumbai airport is processing 780 pieces of baggage for return, while airports now provide passengers with 6-hour advance cancellation notices.
4MoCA Director Tanvi Sundriyal reviewed IndiGo's operational issues at Kolkata Airport, ensuring smooth passenger services and addressing concerns.

The Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) recently initiated surprise inspections at several high-traffic airports across India, including Mumbai and Kolkata, in response to significant flight disruptions and cancellations. These inspections, led by senior MoCA officials, aimed to assess the operational challenges and ensure passenger facilitation amidst widespread chaos caused by various airline issues, notably those stemming from IndiGo's internal mismanagement.

In Mumbai, Joint Secretary Madhu Sudan Shankar assured stakeholders that "things are in control" following his review with airport operators and Air Traffic Control managers. He noted that while major affected sectors included Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Chennai, improvements were underway. Shankar also addressed baggage issues, stating that 780 pieces of baggage were at the airport, with 90% slated for dispatch to passengers by the following day. Additionally, airports are now providing passengers with six-hour advance notice for cancellations to prevent unnecessary travel to the terminals.

Concurrently, MoCA Director Tanvi Sundriyal visited Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport to specifically review the situation arising from IndiGo's operational issues. Sundriyal conducted a comprehensive inspection of passenger touchpoints, engaging directly with affected travelers to understand their concerns. A subsequent review meeting with officials from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) Kolkata Airport, CISF, and airline representatives focused on streamlining flight operations, enhancing manpower, and strengthening passenger facilitation measures. Sundriyal commended the proactive steps already taken by these entities.

These inspections follow Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu's summoning of IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and other top management officials. The Ministry has been investigating the inconvenience faced by passengers due to IndiGo's "internal mismanagement of crew rosters, flight schedules, and inadequate communication." Consequently, the Indian Civil Aviation Ministry has mandated IndiGo to curtail its overall operations by 10 percent, an increase from an earlier 5 percent order, to stabilize the airline's services while ensuring it continues to cover its usual destinations.