‘Clear all ticket refunds by Dec 7’: Centre tells IndiGo as passengers protest outside airports across nation

The Civil Aviation Ministry has ordered IndiGo to clear all pending refunds, waive rescheduling fees, fast-track baggage returns, and strengthen passenger support as flight disruptions continued.

Airfares are deregulated in India and are decided by market forces, but the government can intervene to regulate fares if major disruptions hit the sector. For instance, airfare bands were imposed by the government during the COVID-19 pandemic.

IndiGo refund deadline: IndiGo has been asked to immediately clear all pending passenger refunds.(File)

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has asked IndiGo to immediately clear all pending passenger refunds. The Ministry has set a deadline, directing that refunds for every cancelled or disrupted flight be completed by 8:00 PM on Sunday, 7 December 2025. This came along with the Ministry’s decision to cap airfares in the wake of skyrocketing air ticket prices.

Airlines have further been told not to charge rescheduling fees for travellers whose journeys were affected. According to the Ministry, any delay or failure to process refunds will lead to swift regulatory action.

Earlier Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu warned that an inquiry has been launched into the IndiGo crisis and those responsible will “pay for it”.

In order to protect passengers from any form of opportunistic pricing, the Ministry has invoked its regulatory powers to ensure fair and reasonable fares across all affected routes.

The Ministry will continue to closely monitor fare levels through real-time data and active…

— Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu (@RamMNK) December 6, 2025

Dedicated passenger support and refund cell

IndiGo has also been asked to establish specialised support and refund facilitation units to streamline grievance handling. These units are expected to reach out to affected flyers directly and ensure refunds or revised travel arrangements are handled without repeated follow-ups. The automatic refund mechanism will remain in place until normal operations are fully restored.

Check all the latest updates around the IndiGo flight disruptions and progress in normalisation of operations here

Baggage handling commitment

The Ministry has directed IndiGo to locate and deliver all baggage misplaced due to cancellations or delays within 48 hours. Airlines must keep passengers informed about tracking updates and expected delivery times, and provide compensation where applicable under existing passenger rights norms. Passengers on Saturday were seen complaining that their luggage had been missing for several hours, with many alleging that IndiGo staffers were clueless of the locations of the baggages.

#WATCH | Maharashtra | IndiGo passengers at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, lose their cool and get into a heated argument with the airline staff at the ticket counter, amid the nationwide IndiGo flight cancellations. pic.twitter.com/lMWqs0joNQ

— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2025

Zero-inconvenience policy

The Ministry said it is working closely with airlines, airports, security agencies, and other operational partners to safeguard passenger rights during the ongoing disruptions. Oversight has been strengthened to ensure proper assistance for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, students, medical travellers, and anyone needing urgent transit. Monitoring will continue until full operational stability is achieved.

#WATCH | Gujarat: A passenger weeps at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, long queues of passengers seen here as a few IndiGo flights stand cancelled yet again.

The Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) orders of the DGCA have been placed in abeyance with… pic.twitter.com/8qmI72w2uN

— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2025