Day 7 of IndiGo crisis: SC declines urgent plea; hundreds of cancellations and delays — key developments

NEW DELHI: IndiGo’s operational crisis entered its seventh consecutive day on Monday, with more than 400 large-scale flight cancellations continuing across major airports, leaving thousands of passengers stranded nationwide.Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has declined to hear a plea seeking judicial intervention in the cancellation of hundreds of flights, stating that the government has already taken cognisance of the matter and initiated action. The plea was mentioned before the top court amid continued chaos for passengers nationwide, with large-scale cancellations reported across major airports including Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Delhi.At Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport alone, 127 IndiGo flights were cancelled, including 65 arrivals and 62 departures. The airline has been under intense scrutiny from both the government and passengers since December 2, when mass cancellations began following the rollout of tighter pilot Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms.Here are the top developments: Major impact across key airportsThe disruption remained widespread on Monday. Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) saw 77 IndiGo flights cancelled including 38 arrivals and 39 departures. Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport recorded the highest number of cancellations so far, with 134 flights including 75 departures and 59 arrivals that were called off. Ahmedabad reported 18 cancellations by 8 am, while multiple cancellations were also reported from Mumbai, Chennai, Jaipur and Guwahati. Passengers at several airports remained stranded in terminal areas, awaiting updates.IndiGo cancellations: Supreme Court declines urgent hearingThe Supreme Court refused to grant an urgent hearing to a plea seeking judicial intervention in the cancellation of hundreds of IndiGo flights, stating that the Centre has already taken cognisance of the situation and initiated steps to address it. The court acknowledged that lakhs of passengers are stranded at airports across the country and termed the issue serious. “It is a serious matter. Lakhs of people are stranded at the airports. We know that the government of India has taken timely action and cognizance of the issue. We know people may have health issues and other important issues etc.,” Chief Justice Surya Kant, heading the bench along with Justice Joymalya Bagchi, said.The plea was mentioned by a lawyer who said passengers were suffering due to large-scale cancellations and delays, with some flyers not being informed in advance and around 2,500 flights affected across nearly 95 airports.Delhi airport issues fresh passenger advisoryAmid the chaos, Delhi’s IGI Airport issued a fresh advisory urging passengers to check their flight status before leaving for the airport.“IndiGo flights may continue to face delays,” the advisory said. It added that on-ground teams were providing assistance, including medical help. Transportation including metro services, buses and cabs were available to ease passenger movement during the disruption.Bomb threat at Hyderabad airport amid disruptionsHyderabad airport received a bomb threat email late on December 7 for three flights: Kannur–Hyderabad (6E 7178), Frankfurt–Hyderabad (LH 752) and London Heathrow–Hyderabad (BA 277). All three aircraft landed safely and standard security protocols were followed. Authorities later declared the threat a hoax.DGCA extends deadline for IndiGo’s replyThe Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) granted a one-time 24-hour extension to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and Chief Operating Officer and Accountable Manager Isidre Porqueras to respond to its Show Cause Notice.The new deadline is 6 pm on Monday. The regulator has warned that failure to respond will result in the matter being decided ex parte. The notice cited “significant lapses in planning, oversight and resource management” as the primary reasons behind the airline’s large-scale operational failure.Why are IndiGo flights being cancelled? The current crisis is linked to the implementation of revised FDTL rules for pilots, which include longer weekly rest periods, stricter night duty limits and reduced night landings. While these rules were initially opposed by domestic airlines, including IndiGo and Air India, they were rolled out in phases in July and November, following directions from the Delhi high court. IndiGo has secured temporary relaxations in the second phase of the norms until February 10.IndiGo’s response and refund measuresAfter remaining largely silent for the first three days of the crisis, IndiGo acknowledged the scale of the disruption on Friday, when it cancelled a record 1,600 flights in a single day. CEO Pieter Elbers issued a video apology for the “major inconvenience” caused. The airline has announced automatic refunds and waived rescheduling charges for passengers travelling between December 5 and 15. The civil aviation ministry said refunds worth Rs 610 crore have been processed so far.Government steps in to restore operationsOver the weekend, the civil aviation ministry cracked down on IndiGo and other airlines for charging high fares amid the disruption and capped domestic airfares at Rs 18,000. IndiGo has been directed to fully restore operations within two days, return checked-in baggage within 48 hours and ensure timely refunds. The government has also barred the airline from charging rescheduling fees during the crisis.DGCA appeals to pilots for cooperationWith fog season, peak holiday travel and the wedding season approaching, the DGCA has issued a formal appeal to pilot bodies nationwide to cooperate in stabilising operations. The regulator warned that rising passenger volumes and weather challenges could further strain the system. Pilot body ALPA India said it would support the DGCA but cautioned against relaxing fatigue protection norms.IndiGo has said it aims to stabilise operations by December 10 and operate around 1,650 flights daily as services gradually normalise.