New Delhi, Saturday (FNO): The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Saturday issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers over the airline’s continuing operational disruptions that have led to large-scale flight cancellations, delays, and severe inconvenience to passengers across the country.

The aviation regulator has sought a detailed explanation from the airline on its failure to maintain stable operations and adhere to regulatory norms, particularly in light of mounting complaints from travellers stranded at major airports over the past several days.

IndiGo has sought additional time to respond to the show-cause notice, citing the scale and complexity of the issues it is currently dealing with. The airline has assured the regulator that it is working to stabilise operations and restore normal schedules as quickly as possible.

However, the DGCA is understood to be closely monitoring the situation and is expected to take strict regulatory action if the airline’s response is found to be unsatisfactory.

The ongoing crisis has caused widespread disruption across major Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata. Thousands of passengers have been affected by: Repeated flight cancellations, Long delays, Last-minute rescheduling, Baggage disruptions, Overcrowded terminals and extended waiting hours.

Several travellers have reported being stranded at airports without timely updates, hotel accommodation, or alternate travel arrangements.

Sources indicate that the disruptions stem from severe crew shortages, scheduling failures and operational misalignment, triggered after the implementation of new flight duty time limitations for pilots. The situation exposed serious gaps in IndiGo’s preparedness to adjust manpower and aircraft deployment to the revised norms.

The crisis has also brought into sharp focus the risks of over-dependence on a single carrier, as IndiGo controls a dominant share of India’s domestic aviation market.

Aviation officials have hinted that if operational reliability is not restored swiftly, the DGCA may proceed with: Temporary capacity restrictions, Slot redistribution to other airlines, Financial penalties, Enhanced safety audits.

The regulator has reiterated that passenger safety and service reliability cannot be compromised under any circumstances.

While IndiGo has claimed that it is gradually improving its on-time performance, full normalcy is yet to be restored. With peak travel season underway, aviation experts warn that continued instability could severely dent public confidence in the airline and disrupt the broader domestic aviation network.

Passengers are being advised to check flight status regularly and remain prepared for further changes in schedules.