Indigo Flight Cancellation: Government warns against unusual surge in airfares, orders immediate refund to Indigo

New Delhi, 6 December. Amid the disruption of IndiGo flights affecting thousands of passengers, the Civil Aviation Ministry on Saturday directed the airline to complete the process of refund of tickets for canceled flights by Sunday evening. The government also asked to ensure that the left luggage of the passengers is delivered to them in the next two days.

With the country’s largest airline IndiGo canceling over 1,000 flights on Friday and the disruption continuing for the fifth day on Saturday, the ministry said immediate regulatory action will be taken on any delay or non-compliance in the refund process. The refund process for all canceled or disrupted flights should be completed by 8 pm on Sunday, the ministry said in a statement.

“The airline has also been directed not to charge any rescheduling fee from passengers whose travel plans were affected by the cancellation,” the statement said. More than 400 flights were canceled at various airports on Saturday. IndiGo was also directed to set up special assistance and refund facility centers for passengers.

“The system of automatic refunds will remain active until operations are completely stabilized,” the statement said. Additionally, the ministry said airlines should ensure that passengers’ lost luggage due to flight cancellations or delays is traced and delivered to them within the next 48 hours.