Govt caps airfares as IndiGo crisis strands thousands
The Centre on Saturday moved to cap airfares after 385 IndiGo flights were cancelled, leaving crowds of frustrated passengers outside the Bengaluru and Mumbai airports for a fifth straight day.
IndiGo’s fleet problems have disrupted India’s aviation network, forcing the airline to scrap thousands of services this week. The government stepped in with relief measures and instructed railways to run extra trains for stranded travellers.
The sharp drop in IndiGo capacity pushed fares on other airlines higher. In response, the Civil Aviation Ministry announced fare limits to prevent unreasonable pricing, though it did not disclose the exact caps.
“The Ministry will continue to monitor fares using real-time data and coordination with airlines,” an official statement said. India last imposed fare caps in 2020 during the COVID-19 crisis.
Officials and analysts say this is the biggest operational challenge IndiGo has faced in its 20-year history. The airline, known for punctuality and low costs, admitted it underestimated the impact of stricter night-flying rules and pilot rest norms introduced on November 1. These changes led to significant scheduling gaps.
More than 1,000 flights were cancelled on Friday alone. IndiGo expects services to stabilise between December 10 and 15, supported by temporary concessions on pilot duty regulations. Delhi airport said on X that operations were gradually improving, though several IndiGo departures were still affected.
Airport officials told The Coastal Times that on Saturday IndiGo cancelled 124 flights in Bengaluru, 109 in Mumbai, 86 in Delhi and 66 in Hyderabad. Large crowds gathered outside terminals in Bengaluru and Mumbai, with many saying they received no advance notice.
Other major airlines, including Air India and Akasa Air, have so far remained unaffected by the revised regulations.