90% of stranded baggage cleared as flight operations normalize.
After days of chaos at airports across the country, the Central government has confirmed that the situation involving IndiGo Airlines is finally stabilizing. Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha stated on Monday that the major disruptions caused by the recent IndiGo operational crisis are largely resolved, with operations returning to normal levels.
Addressing the primary concern of thousands of stranded passengers, Sinha indicated that financial relief has been prioritized. In an interview, he noted that the airline appears to have completed 100 per cent of the refunds for cancelled tickets. This comes as a significant relief to travelers who faced sudden cancellations over the past week.
Beyond ticket refunds, the issue of lost and delayed luggage has been a major pain point. Following a visit to the Delhi airport to inspect ground handling, the Civil Aviation Secretary reported positive progress. He confirmed that 90 per cent of the accumulated baggage has arrived at the correct destinations. Airlines have been instructed to deliver these bags directly to passengers' addresses, a process expected to conclude within the next 24 hours.
The government has been actively monitoring the recovery. Sinha highlighted that IndiGo successfully operated over 1,800 flights on Monday, signaling a return to full capacity. Other major carriers, including Air India and SpiceJet, are also running smoothly without capacity cuts.
Earlier in the Rajya Sabha, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu clarified the root cause of the turmoil. He explained that the breakdown was not due to technical software glitches but rather IndiGo’s internal issues with crew rostering and operational planning. The Minister assured the house that the government takes non-compliance seriously and has stringent Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs) in place to protect passenger rights. He warned that strict action would be taken against operators who fail to adhere to safety and service standards.
To manage the fallout, the government imposed fare caps to prevent price gouging on affected routes. IndiGo, on its part, released a statement claiming it has processed refunds totaling Rs 827 crore. The airline also stated that it provided over 9,500 hotel rooms to assist customers stranded between December 1 and December 7.
While operations stabilize, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is continuing its inquiry. The aviation regulator has granted IndiGo a short extension to respond to a show-cause notice regarding the large-scale disruption, as the government seeks to prevent such a crisis from recurring.
With Agency Inputs
