A massive air travel disruption has gripped the country as IndiGo flight cancellations and delays continue for several consecutive days, culminating today in a complete shutdown of the airline’s operations from Delhi and Chennai. The sudden cancellations have left thousands of passengers stranded at airports across India, many of them distressed, helpless, and unsure of when they will reach their destinations.
IndiGo has blamed the chaos on newly introduced DGCA regulations, but the explanation has sparked a larger debate on accountability. If the airline was previously not in compliance, passengers and industry experts are questioning why the DGCA did not step in earlier. Conversely, if the new rules were essential, why weren’t they implemented in a phased or passenger-centric manner? The situation deteriorated so sharply that the government was compelled to put the new order on hold after IndiGo grounded its operations — an outcome that many believe reflects poor planning and coordination.
The worst affected are travellers who booked connecting journeys across multiple airlines. While IndiGo cancelled their outgoing or inbound flights, other carriers operating the remaining sectors are now demanding hefty penalties for date changes or cancellations. Several of these tickets are non-refundable, forcing passengers to bear substantial financial losses for circumstances entirely outside their control.
Among those stranded are pilgrims, honeymooners, patients travelling for treatment, and individuals scheduled to join new jobs. Their carefully planned itineraries have been shattered, turning what should have been meaningful life moments into days of uncertainty and stress. The crisis has escalated beyond operational mismanagement and is now being seen as a severe financial and emotional burden on ordinary citizens.
In this backdrop, Dinesh G Kumar of the TAAFI Northern India chapter has issued a strong public appeal to the Government of India, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, and the DGCA. He has urged authorities to intervene immediately and instruct all airlines to offer full refunds or allow free rescheduling for passengers affected by IndiGo’s cancellations.
Calling for urgent action from the Hon’ble Civil Aviation Minister, the Hon’ble Prime Minister, and the DGCA Director, Kumar stressed the need to protect the rights and interests of passengers during such unprecedented disruptions. He emphasised that the aviation ecosystem must prioritise travellers over operational disagreements to prevent such widespread distress in the future.
