IndiGo CEO Faces Show Cause Notice Amid Flight Disruptions
DGCA Takes Action Against IndiGo's Leadership
On Saturday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a show cause notice to IndiGo's CEO, Pieter Elbers, requiring him to justify why he should not face repercussions for extensive flight cancellations and delays that occurred over the past week.
Since December 2, air travel has been significantly disrupted due to a shortage of pilots and crew, leading to the cancellation and postponement of numerous flights. This situation has also caused ticket prices on various routes to soar to unprecedented levels.
The DGCA's notice highlighted that the operational failures indicated serious deficiencies in planning and oversight. It suggested that the airline had not adhered to regulations concerning pilot rest and duty hours.
According to the DGCA, as the CEO, Elbers is accountable for the airline's management, yet he has not fulfilled his responsibilities to ensure reliable operations and adequate facilities for passengers.
Elbers has been given 24 hours to respond to the notice and explain why he should not be held accountable.
The disruptions arose after IndiGo struggled to adjust its flight roster in line with the DGCA's updated duty and rest regulations that took effect on November 1.
These new rostering guidelines were introduced in January 2024 to mitigate pilot fatigue and were initially set to be implemented on June 1. However, airlines requested a delay due to staffing shortages and operational difficulties, leading to the eventual implementation on November 1.
As IndiGo attempted to comply with the new rules, it faced challenges in staffing flights, resulting in widespread cancellations and delays throughout the week. This left thousands of passengers stranded at airports, often without clear information regarding their flight statuses.
This is Kochi airport between 2 am to 5 am. People sleeping on floor, fighting, crying. Aircrafts available but no pilots. Worst, while crew gets mandatory rest time, ground staff is working double shifts, sleepless in total chaos #Indigo @DGCAIndia @IndiGo6E #FlightCancellations pic.twitter.com/hoRubnaOUM
— Tabassum Barnagarwala (@tabassum_b) December 5, 2025
In the early hours of Sunday, IndiGo announced that it had canceled a considerable number of flights on Saturday, operating just over 700 flights. The airline stated that its primary goal was to reset its network, systems, and rosters to improve operations.
IndiGo expressed optimism about operating more than 1,500 flights on Sunday, claiming that over 95% of its network connectivity had been restored, allowing it to serve 135 out of 138 destinations. The airline acknowledged the challenges ahead but emphasized its commitment to regaining customer trust.
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 6, 2025