New Delhi, December 9: Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that flight operations across the country are stabilising rapidly, with airports reporting no instances of “crowding or distress.”
Emphasising that aviation safety remains “non-negotiable,” he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening the sector.
Addressing the House, Naidu said the government is focused on making India’s aviation ecosystem more competitive and resilient.
“Through our policies, we are encouraging more new airlines to start operations in India,” he noted, stressing the need for improved connectivity, affordability and passenger comfort.
The minister highlighted that IndiGo operated 1,800 flights on Monday, a significant rise from just 706 flights on December 5. He asserted that no airline—regardless of its size—would be permitted to inconvenience passengers.
“Refunds, baggage tracing and passenger support measures remain under the ministry’s supervision. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has issued show-cause notices to IndiGo’s senior leadership and has launched a detailed enforcement investigation,” Naidu said, adding that further action would follow once the report is submitted.
He also stated that the refund and baggage-handling process for affected passengers is nearing completion. IndiGo was instructed to process refunds promptly, and according to the airline, more than ₹750 crore has already been returned to passengers. Re-bookings were reportedly done at no additional cost.
To prevent passengers from being “exploited due to sudden demand spikes and opportunistic pricing,” the government intervened to cap airfares during the crisis, Naidu added.
The session saw a brief walkout by several Opposition members after Speaker Om Birla declined to allow further discussion on the IndiGo crisis following the minister’s statement.
In the meantime, the DGCA has directed IndiGo to reduce its daily operations by 5%, stating that the airline “has not demonstrated the ability to operate its schedules efficiently.” IndiGo has been asked to submit a revised schedule by 5 p.m. on December 10. The carrier is currently operating 2,200 flights per day under its winter schedule.
