Govt Slashes IndiGo’s Winter Schedule as Crisis Deepens; DGCA Flags “Overestimated Capacity”

 As a corrective measure, the DGCA has directed IndiGo to cut its winter schedule by 5 per cent across sectors. The order places special emphasis on high-demand and high-frequency routes, where cancellations have caused the greatest inconvenience. The airline has been asked to submit a revised schedule by 5 pm on December 10.

Meanwhile, the MoCA has shifted into emergency oversight mode. Following a late-night high-level review meeting, the ministry instructed all senior officials to visit major airports for on-ground verification of IndiGo’s operations and passenger assistance mechanisms.On Tuesday morning, Joint Secretary Madhu Sudan Sankar arrived at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to inspect the airline’s functioning, monitor passenger grievances, and review crowd management as cancellations continued.

Delhi: In a sweeping regulatory intervention, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has ordered a significant cut in IndiGo’s winter flight schedule after the airline’s operational turmoil continued to trigger mass cancellations across major airports, including Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

Union Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed that a portion of IndiGo’s routes will now be redistributed to smaller airlines to ensure that passengers are not left stranded amid the ongoing chaos. “Passenger convenience cannot be compromised,” he asserted during a briefing with senior officials.

The unprecedented decision comes after a detailed review of IndiGo’s performance during the Winter Schedule 2025. A DGCA notice dated December 8 revealed that while the airline expanded its departures by 9.66% over last year, it failed to operate the flights it had committed to.

According to the regulator, IndiGo received approval for 15,014 weekly departures (64,346 flights for November) but managed to operate only 59,438 flights, while recording 951 cancellations in the same month alone.

The DGCA also highlighted critical gaps in fleet deployment. Although IndiGo had permissions for 403 aircraft, only 339 aircraft were in use in October, and 344 in November, indicating a mismatch between approved capacity and actual readiness. The regulator concluded that IndiGo aggressively expanded its winter schedule without ensuring adequate crew or aircraft availability.

In response, the DGCA has instructed IndiGo to cut its winter schedule by 5% across all sectors, with the steepest corrections on high-density routes where commuters have suffered the most disruptions. The airline has been given a deadline of 5 pm on December 10 to submit its revised operations plan.

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Ministry has activated its emergency monitoring mechanism. After a late-night high-level review meeting, senior aviation officials were dispatched to major airports for ground inspections and real-time oversight.

On Tuesday morning, Joint Secretary Madhu Sudan Sankar reached Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport to review IndiGo’s passenger-handling measures, crowd control, and ongoing cancellations.