India’s aviation sector faced intense scrutiny this week as IndiGo, the country’s largest airline, grappled with an unprecedented wave of flight cancellations and delays that stretched into a fifth consecutive day. The growing disruption stranded thousands of passengers across multiple airports, prompting the government and aviation regulators to step in with emergency measures and initiate a high-level inquiry to determine what went wrong and whether punitive action is warranted.

According to official sources, the government has indicated that “appropriate action” will be taken against IndiGo based on the findings of the ongoing investigation. In a significant regulatory move, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a show-cause notice to the airline, directing it to submit a response within 24 hours explaining the cause of the widespread operational breakdowns. This marks a serious escalation in regulatory oversight and signals that authorities are treating the situation with urgency and gravity.

As the crisis unfolded, Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu convened a high-level meeting with IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers to review the deteriorating situation and explore immediate remedial measures. The meeting, described by officials as “serious,” was attended by senior figures including Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha and DGCA Chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai. The discussions reportedly focused on identifying the root causes of the repeated cancellations, restoring operational stability, and ensuring that passenger interests were protected in real time.

Earlier, the government ordered a high-level probe into the mass cancellations after four consecutive days of severe disruption left air travel in disarray nationwide. Announcing the probe, the civil aviation minister stated that the inquiry would “examine what went wrong at IndiGo” and “determine accountability wherever required for appropriate actions.” He further stressed that the investigation would not only look at past lapses but also recommend structural and operational safeguards to prevent similar breakdowns in the future.

To carry out this task, the DGCA constituted a four-member committee tasked with conducting a comprehensive review of the circumstances that led to the massive flight disruptions. The committee will assess everything from crew management and aircraft availability to internal coordination, contingency planning, and compliance with aviation safety and operational norms. Industry observers believe the committee’s findings could have wide-ranging implications for airline operations across India, not just for IndiGo.

While the probe continues, the government has already issued a series of directives aimed at providing immediate relief to affected passengers. The Ministry of Civil Aviation ordered IndiGo to process full refunds by December 7 for all cancelled flights and ensure that delayed or misplaced baggage is delivered to passengers within 48 hours. These directives were described as being issued “in public interest,” reflecting mounting public anger and media scrutiny over the chaos at major airports.

In another major intervention, the government imposed a temporary cap on airfares ranging from ₹7,000 to ₹18,000 after reports emerged of steep and erratic ticket price surges during the disruption period. The fare cap applies to all bookings, regardless of whether tickets are purchased directly through airline websites or via online travel portals. Officials stated that this measure will remain in force until fare levels stabilise or a fresh policy review is conducted.

Airlines have also been instructed to maintain adequate ticket availability across different fare categories and to explore adding extra capacity on high-demand routes that were severely impacted by cancellations. The ministry has warned carriers against imposing steep fare hikes on routes hit by operational disruptions and has emphasised the need to provide maximum assistance to distressed passengers, including free or low-cost rebooking options wherever possible.

The scale of the disruption has been illustrated by reports of more than 800 flight cancellations in a single day, with long queues, packed terminals, and widespread confusion becoming common scenes at airports across the country. In several cases, passengers complained that domestic fares had surged so drastically that they were reportedly higher than ticket prices for international destinations such as Dubai and Thailand, highlighting the extent of market instability triggered by the crisis.

As the investigation proceeds, attention remains firmly on IndiGo’s response and the DGCA’s next steps. The aviation ministry has made it clear that accountability will be enforced if systemic failures are uncovered. The episode has reopened debates about airline preparedness, regulatory enforcement, and passenger protection in India’s rapidly expanding aviation market. For now, thousands of affected travelers await both refunds and clear answers, while industry stakeholders brace for the impact of what could become one of the most consequential aviation inquiries in recent years.