New Delhi, Dec 5, 2025 — The Indian government on Friday ordered a high-level inquiry into the ongoing IndiGo flight crisis following four days of widespread cancellations that left thousands of passengers stranded across the country. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu announced that the probe will “examine what went wrong at IndiGo” and “determine accountability wherever required for appropriate actions.” He added that the investigation would also recommend measures to prevent similar disruptions in the future, ensuring that passengers do not face such hardships again.

DGCA Constitutes Probe Committee

The aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has set up a four-member committee to conduct a comprehensive review of the circumstances that led to the operational meltdown. The committee members are:

• Sanjay K Bramhane, Joint Director General
• Amit Gupta, Deputy Director General
• Capt. Kapil Manglik, Senior Flight Operations Inspector
• Capt. Lokesh Rampal, Flight Operations Inspector

The government’s decision comes after a string of emergency measures by the DGCA, aimed at stabilising IndiGo’s operations amid what is being described as one of the airline’s worst operational crises in recent years.

Operational Impact and Passenger Disruption

Over the course of four days, nearly 1,000 flights were cancelled, severely affecting travel during a peak season. The DGCA reported that urgent directives were issued to IndiGo to stabilise its network and bring schedules back on track. The aviation ministry is closely monitoring the situation and has instructed all airlines, particularly IndiGo, to implement immediate corrective measures.

DGCA Rolls Back Key Duty-Time Rules

To relieve pressure on crew rosters and support IndiGo’s recovery, the DGCA temporarily relaxed the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) that had come into effect on November 1. The exemptions include:

• Night-duty requirements
• Rules governing duties extending into night hours
• Mandatory weekly rest requirements for pilots

Officials stated that these temporary relaxations are intended to provide airlines more flexibility in scheduling, helping restore capacity and prevent further cancellations.

Passengers were informed that flight schedules are expected to begin returning to normal by midnight, with full operations stabilising over the next several days.

The inquiry and regulatory interventions reflect the government’s proactive approach to addressing both the immediate disruptions and the structural issues that contributed to IndiGo’s operational crisis, aiming to prevent recurrence and safeguard passenger interests.