Indigo Airlines is constantly surrounded by difficulties these days. In the last seven days, more than 1800 flights of the company have been cancelled, due to which thousands of passengers have to face a lot of trouble. In view of this chaos, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has sent a notice to IndiGo CEO Peter Elbers. DGCA has asked him why flights were canceled on such a large scale and why correct information was not given to the passengers.

Peter Albers has been the CEO of IndiGo since September 2022 and has 33 years of experience in the aviation sector. He was born on 11 May 1970 in Scheedam city of Netherlands. He did his early studies from De Singel-Primo Sheedam School in his city. His understanding of engineering and business acumen gave him a strong identity in the aviation sector. He got huge experience while working in KLM, which is counted among the top airlines of the world, due to which IndiGo made him the CEO.

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How much salary?

According to reports, he received around Rs 11.9 crore after leaving KLM. After joining IndiGo, he got 67,150 performance stock units in 2023, worth approximately Rs 12.52 crore. His annual salary in the company is around Rs 5 crore. Including salary, bonus and PSUs, his total earnings in IndiGo are around Rs 17 crore annually. According to media reports, the total net worth of Peter Albers is said to be around 5 million dollars i.e. around Rs 45 crore.

Albers started his career on January 1, 1992 with KLM Airlines, where he worked as an aircraft loading supervisor. Over the next few years, he advanced rapidly and was appointed as General Manager in Japan, Greece and Italy. In 2014, he became the President and CEO of KLM. While working at KLM, he received a compensation of about 1.4 million euros every year.

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What did the ministry say?

On behalf of the Aviation Ministry, it has been said that it is necessary to cut some routes of IndiGo so that the operations of the airline can be stabilized and the situation of flight cancellations can be reduced. For this reason, orders have been given to reduce 10% routes. Following the instructions, Indigo will continue to cover all its earlier destinations. Also, the airline has been asked to follow all the rules of the ministry without any relaxation, which includes fixing fares and steps related to passenger convenience.

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People are worried for the fifth consecutive day due to the cancellation of flights of Indigo Airline, which is facing shortage of crew members. There is chaos at the airport. Troubled passengers created a ruckus at many places. There are piles of suitcases lying at the airport. People have not received the goods for 3 to 4 days. People waiting for the flight spent the night on the ground. However, in the meantime the passengers have also received good news. Indigo Airlines linked to crisis 10 big things…

1. Claim of restoration of 95% of Indigo flights
On Saturday, there was relief in the operational crisis that was going on in Indigo for the last four days. The airline claimed that flights have started on 95% of its routes. Flights left for 135 out of 138 destinations. The company says that on Saturday they have taken 1500 flights to their destinations.

2. Flight cancellations reduced
On December 6, IndiGo issued a statement saying that it is continuously working to normalize its flights. Cancellation is gradually improving. Today less than 850 flights were cancelled. This is much less than yesterday. More than 1000 flights were canceled on 5 December.

3. Central government fixed air fares
The central government has fixed the airfare for all airlines. Now the fare for air travel up to 500 kilometers will be Rs 7,500. Whereas for 500-1000 kilometers it will be Rs 12,000, for 1000-1500 kilometers it will be Rs 15,000 and above 1500 kilometers it will be maximum Rs 18,000. However, business class is not included in this.

4. Ticket money will be refunded within 48 hours
The Civil Aviation Ministry gave strict instructions to IndiGo to complete the ticket refund process for the passengers affected by the disruption in flights by 8 pm on Sunday night. The airline should ensure that all the luggage separated from the passengers due to flight cancellation is delivered within the next 48 hours. If this does not happen, further investigation and punitive action can be taken. Apart from this, the ministry has started a 24×7 helpline and has ordered the passengers to make arrangements for hotels, food and alternative transportation.

5. ixigo will refund the money for Indigo flights tickets
ixigo issued a statement on Saturday saying, ‘We understand how stressful flight cancellations can be. To support distressed passengers during these difficult times, ixigo will refund the full convenience fee and assured charges for all our customers whose IndiGo flights were canceled by the airline between December 3 and 8.

6. Kicking and punching between passengers and crew at airports
The anger of the troubled passengers erupted at the airport for 3-4 days. Passengers clashed among themselves over a dispute over standing in line at Lucknow airport. One passenger kicked and punched another passenger. Passengers in Mumbai were seen upset due to flight interruptions and cancellations. Passengers spent the night on the floor at Ahmedabad airport.

7. Because of Indigo, Railways started 84 special trains.
Considering the problems of passengers, Indian Railways on December 6 announced to run 84 special trains. The Railway Ministry said that these special services, which will make a total of 104 trips, have been rapidly prepared on major cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Patna and Howrah. Now thousands of passengers will get a major alternative route.

8. Center gave relief to Indigo Airlines
The central government had come on the backfoot on Friday. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) gave temporary relief to airlines, especially IndiGo, till 10 February 2026. The decision of not giving any leave in lieu of weekly rest was withdrawn. Indigo claims that due to this rule there was a shortage of pilots and other staff and the entire operation was affected. It will take time to fix it. DGCA had implemented the second phase of Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) from November 1, rules related to the work of pilots and other crew members. The first phase came into effect on 1 July.

9. Being the most plain becomes a problem
Indigo operates about 2,300 domestic and international flights daily. This number is almost double the number of flights operated by Air India in a day. On such a large scale, if even 10–20 percent of flights are delayed or cancelled, it means 200–400 flights being affected. Huge difficulties arise for thousands of passengers. Its 1232 flights were canceled in November.

10. Congress targeted the government and sought answers.
In a press conference in New Delhi, Congress MP Shashikant Senthil accused the government of not taking concrete steps to deal with it. Senthil said, ‘This situation has been happening for the last one and a half years. The new rules of DGCA were first notified in January 2024. Airlines have not had sufficient time to adapt to these guidelines and we believe this is important.

The central government has come on the backfoot on Friday after the country’s largest airline company Indigo canceled more than 1700 flights in the last 4 days. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has given temporary relief to airlines, especially IndiGo, till 10 February 2026. The decision of not giving any leave in lieu of weekly rest was withdrawn.

Indigo flights are being badly affected for the last several days. Today i.e. 5th December was the worst day, when more than 1000 flights were cancelled. More than half the schedules are being affected every day. From tomorrow (6th December) the cancellations will come down to less than 1000. That means getting exemption in FDTL from DGCA is helping in recovery. Indigo says that it will take time till December 15 for flight operations to become normal.

Government formed high level committee
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said that the government has also ordered a high-level inquiry into this entire incident, so that the cause of this crisis and responsibility can be fixed. He said that Indigo flights will become completely normal in the next three days.

IndiGo CEO Peter Albers said, ‘We apologize to everyone for the cancellation and delay of IndiGo flights. The entire system is rebooting. It will take time for the situation to become normal. The situation will become normal from 10 to 15 December. There have been more problems in the last few days. Today more than 1 thousand flights have been cancelled.

Flight ticket prices increased 10 times
In search of alternative flights, passengers have to buy tickets at up to 10 times the normal price. According to booking site MakeMyTrip, the cheapest flight fare from Delhi to Bangalore on December 6 is more than Rs 40,000, while the fare of some flights is up to Rs 80,000.

In fact, Indigo is facing shortage of crew members for the fourth consecutive day on Friday. Due to this, more than 1000 flights were canceled at many airports including Delhi, Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad. Passengers have been waiting for the flight for 24 hours. At Delhi airport, passengers were seen arguing and fighting with the staff and security personnel over water, food and essential items.

Indigo claims- problems due to government rules
Indigo claims that due to this rule there was a shortage of pilots and other staff and the entire operation was affected. It will take time to fix it. DGCA had implemented the second phase of Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) from November 1, rules related to the work of pilots and other crew members. The first phase came into effect on 1 July.

In the rules of the second phase of FDTL, it was made mandatory for the airline companies to give 48 hours of rest in a week to the pilots, i.e. two days weekly rest. During this period, there was a ban on counting any holiday as weekly rest. DGCA had also banned continuous night shifts of pilots and other crew members.

Cancellation of Indigo Airlines flights for the fourth consecutive day at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Telangana broke the patience of passengers. More than 197 flights have been canceled since the crisis started on December 2. This included 31 flights on 3 December, 68 flights on 4 December and 92 flights on 5 December. Technical glitches, crew shortage, absence of pilots and airport congestion brought the entire network to a standstill. DGCA has started investigation, but passengers are not being given complete information nor are there any other options.

Passengers stranded at airport hungry and thirsty for 24 hours
Thousands of passengers from many states and countries are stranded at the airport for more than 24 hours. A 70-year-old couple returning from Mumbai to Hyderabad was kept at the gate for 14 hours, neither did they get food nor a place to stay. A passenger said, ‘Our luggage had been checked-in, but due to cancellation of flights, we remained stuck here. Now waiting for the goods for 16 hours.

A group going to Pune had to take alternative routes by cab and train, while a businessman arriving in London complained that he was supposed to reach home on the morning of December 5, but was stuck at the airport for 24 hours, hungry and thirsty. Many passengers reached the airport directly from the hospital, but their plans were ruined due to flight cancellation.

Devotees were delayed in reaching the temple, did not get darshan
The biggest problem is being faced by the devotees who were going for darshan in many cities. More than 50 devotees, who arrived on time for the annual festival of Sabarimala temple, had come from several states in South India. A devotee said, ‘The time to visit the temple has passed. Due to the delay of Indigo Airlines, questions are being raised on faith. Devotees have been protesting at the gate for the last 12 hours, but there is no result.

Passengers and staff clash at the airport
Passengers waiting for several hours clashed with the airport staff, due to which security forces had to be deployed. In a video, passengers were raising slogans of ‘Give food, give hotel’. Indigo issued a statement citing glitches in operations, but did not give any specific time. RGIA tweeted on X and advised to contact the airlines, but the ground staff has no response.

155 flights canceled at Shamshabad airport
This is the situation not only at Hyderabad Airport but also at Shamshabad Airport. 155 flights have been canceled from Shamshabad airport in the last 4 days. According to airport sources, so far 84 departure and 71 arrival flights have been cancelled. Indigo Airlines has canceled the maximum number of flights. The airport administration has appealed for cooperation, but it is becoming difficult to control the angry passengers.

Anger among passengers had increased due to continuous cancellation and huge delays of Indigo flights across the country. Thousands of people remained stranded at airports and it had a major impact on the country’s aviation network. Amidst this pressure, DGCA admitted that the Phase-2 FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitations) rules have suddenly reduced crew availability. IndiGo failed to accurately estimate its actual requirement as per the new guidelines and this led to widespread operational disruptions across the country. After severe inconvenience to the passengers, DGCA decided that it is necessary to provide temporary relief to stabilize the national air network.

IndiGo told DGCA that after the implementation of the new FDTL rules, its planning and rostering was not as strong as it should have been. The new calculation of night shift duty, rest time and duty hours suddenly dropped the number of available crews. The airline admitted that it had miscalculated the need for pilots and cabin crew, leading to a spate of cancellations. Indigo assured that it will soon recruit additional crew so that all the rules can be fully followed in the future.

Relief given by DGCA

The relief given by DGCA is related to two special rules. The first is Para 3.11, which regulates night duty from 12 midnight to 5 am. The second is Para 6.1.4, which prohibits flights that enter night-duty hours. Once these two rules are temporarily relaxed, it will be easier for IndiGo to run night flights without excessive restrictions and crew utilization will also improve.

The exemption will be effective till 10 February 2026

This exemption will remain effective till 10 February 2026, but conditions of strict inspection and monitoring have also been added to it. DGCA has directed the airline to submit a progress report every 15 days, which will include crew utilization, steps to increase availability, improvements in operations and the new rostering model. It is also mandatory to submit a detailed roadmap to IndiGo within 30 days, which should have clear instructions on crew management, scheduling and regulation compliance. DGCA has also made it clear that all other rules of FDTL will have to be strictly followed and no relaxation will be given in any other provision. DGCA can withdraw the relief at any time if the situation worsens or there is lack of compliance. This temporary relief from DGCA can give some balance to the airline industry for the time being and passengers are also expected to get relief from flight cancellations in the coming days.

Now what does the new provision say?
The new order has given a lot of flexibility to the airlines. If a pilot or cabin crew is given leave, it will be considered equivalent to weekly rest. This will allow airlines to prepare rosters without interruption and flight schedules will remain more stable.

How will passengers get the benefit?
The new change will directly provide relief to the passengers. The incidence of excessive delays and canceled flights will reduce. Airlines will be able to bring their daily operations back to normal speed, making the travel experience comfortable again.

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Flights Tickets Surge: Indigo, one of the country’s largest airline companies, is going through a very bad phase. More than 500 flights were canceled yesterday and even today more than 400 flights have been cancelled. Due to this, passengers are facing difficulties on a large scale. Those who have to leave for some important work are stranded at the airport. This is the condition of thousands of passengers in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

Aviation sector suffered a blow

IndiGo is the country’s largest airline in terms of market share. In such a situation, large scale cancellations have affected the entire aviation sector of India. Now, finding opportunities in the disaster, other airline companies including Indigo also started increasing the fares of flights drastically. Travelers and booking portals said on Friday that domestic sector tickets of many airlines have now become more expensive than return fares for international flights to the United States or Australia.

Rents are skyrocketing

Low-cost carrier SpiceJet is today charging up to Rs 80,000 for flights on certain routes, which is much higher than the normal fares of Rs 5,000-Rs 12,000. A one-way economy class ticket for a two-stop Air India flight costs Rs 70,329. Additionally, a business class ticket on the last-minute Air India connection from Hyderabad to Bhopal, which has three stops, has reportedly reached Rs 127,090.

A SpiceJet ticket, whose normal fare ranges between Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000, has now increased to around Rs 38,000.

Delhi-Bangalore one-way economy ticket is now selling for Rs 52,694, up from Rs 21,000. Today the fare from Delhi to Jaipur is Rs 88 thousand, while the fare from Delhi to New York is Rs 47,500 and the fare from Delhi to London is Rs 27 thousand. That means the domestic flight ticket is almost double the international ticket. Not only this, tickets from Delhi to Patna and Bangalore are also being sold for Rs 40-40 thousand.

Why is there shortage of staff in Indigo?

DGCA made some changes in the rules related to the work of crew members and pilots from November 1. This was named flight duty time limitation. Under this, two days of week off in a week was made mandatory for pilots. That means, according to the new rule, they will get 48 hours of rest in a week, which was earlier 36 hours.

Apart from this, night duty and duty timing were also changed, under which now night duty will be from 12 AM – 6 AM and the flying time in night shift was fixed at 8 hours and overall duty time was fixed at 10 hours. These rules were implemented so that the pilots get adequate rest and safety is increased. Due to this new rule, the demand for pilots suddenly increased, which had the biggest impact on Indigo because its network is very large. Here, after the Indigo crisis, DGCA has withdrawn the FDTL rule and has also said that this order will be implemented with immediate effect.

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