IndiGo Hit with Record ₹22 Crore Fine for December Chaos: Aviation Regulator Cracks Down on Safety Lapses
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The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has imposed a record penalty of ₹22.2 crore on IndiGo, India's largest airline, for its role in the December chaos that stranded over 300,000 passengers. The regulator also issued warnings to six senior executives, including the chief operating officer, for their failure to ensure the airline's compliance with safety regulations. The DGCA's four-member inquiry committee found that IndiGo's aggressive cost-cutting measures and pursuit of maximum crew and aircraft utilisation led to the crisis, which saw 2,507 flights cancelled and 1,852 delayed between December 3 and 5 last year. The committee also identified systemic weaknesses, including inadequate regulatory preparedness and deficiencies in system software support. The airline's management was found to have failed to adequately identify planning deficiencies, maintain sufficient operational buffers, and effectively implement revised Flight Duty Time Limitation provisions, resulting in widespread flight delays and large-scale cancellations. The regulator warned senior executives, including Chief Operating Officer Isidre Porqueras Orea, and ordered the removal of the senior vice president for operations control centre from operational responsibilities. IndiGo has been directed to deposit ₹50 crore in bank guarantees, which will be refunded as and when the airline carries out necessary corrections in its operations. The airline has also been asked to curtail operations and submit fortnightly compliance reports. Aviation experts have likened the ₹22 crore penalty to a 'slap on the wrist' for a carrier that generates billions in annual profits. The fine represents just 0.31% of the airline's net profit for the financial year ended March 2025. The regulator has also ordered the airline to take appropriate action against any other personnel identified through its internal inquiry and submit a compliance report to DGCA. IndiGo has been directed to implement systemic reforms, including reforms in leadership and governance, manpower planning, digital systems, and board-level oversight. The airline has said it is committed to taking full cognizance of the orders and will take appropriate measures to ensure that it emerges stronger from the crisis. The regulator has also launched an internal inquiry to identify and implement systemic improvements within the DGCA, a rare acknowledgment that regulatory oversight failures contributed to the crisis.
