Delhi HC Rejects PIL Seeking Quadrupled Compensation for IndiGo Passengers Amid Flight Chaos

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The Delhi high court has dismissed a petition seeking quadrupled compensation for passengers whose flights were cancelled due to recent disruptions by IndiGo. The Centre for Accountability and Systemic Change (CASC) had filed the petition, arguing that passengers should receive four times the full ticket price as compensation. However, the court ruled that the issue was already being examined in another case and that multiple proceedings would not serve the passengers' interests. The court had previously directed IndiGo to compensate passengers for flight cancellations and the hardship they endured, and had instructed the Centre to take measures to restore normalcy at the earliest. The recent disruptions were caused by a convergence of crises, including pilot shortages, cascading delays, and the enforcement of new pilot rest norms. The airline had cited these factors as the reason for the cancellations, which triggered chaos across major airports. The court also permitted CASC's lawyer to file an application seeking intervention in the writ filed by two advocates. The Centre had opposed the demand to fix compensation at four times the amount, and the court agreed that multiple proceedings would not benefit the passengers. The airline, which commands over 60% of India's domestic aviation market, had faced a major disruption in its operations. The government had suspended the new pilot rest norms temporarily, imposed airfare caps, and deployed additional trains to move stranded travellers. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has stated that all variations and relaxations granted to airlines from the new pilot fatigue management norms will end within six months. The regulator is working to ensure full compliance with the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) on FDTL issued in 2024.