Amid widespread disruptions to flight services affecting thousands of passengers across various airports in the country, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on Saturday ordered IndiGo Airlines to clear all pending passenger refunds by 8:00 PM on Sunday.
The directive came with a stern warning: failure to comply will result in "immediate regulatory action."
Passengers whose flights were cancelled or disrupted are now guaranteed full refunds automatically to their original mode of payment, and the airline is prohibited from charging any fee for rescheduling. The order aims to protect travellers from being penalised for an operational failure that was entirely out of their control.
The Ministry also directed the airline to ensure that all the baggage separated from the passengers due to cancellations or delays is traced and delivered to their 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," the ministry said in an official release.
The ministry 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, it 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," the release added.
IndiGo, which has apologised for the chaos, pledged refunds for all bookings between December 5 and December 15, along with waivers on cancellation or rescheduling, and additional support like accommodation, meals and assistance for stranded passengers.
"In response to recent events, all refunds for your cancellations will be processed automatically to your original mode of payment. We will offer full waiver on all cancellations/reschedule requests of your bookings for travel between 5 and 15 December 2025," the airline said in a post on X.
However, the government’s fresh order tightens the deadline and sets a hard end date for the refund process, putting the airline’s commitment under close regulatory watch.
For thousands of passengers stranded or left uncertain by the cancellation spree, the government’s move restores a measure of hope and ensures that affected travellers are not left bearing the cost of disruption.
