DGCA Imposes Record Fine on IndiGo Over December Operational Crisis

India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has imposed an administrative fine of 22.20 crore rupees (approximately $2.45 million) on the country’s largest carrier, IndiGo, following an operational collapse in December.

The critical details behind the crisis are as follows:

• The airline’s lack of preparation for the new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules, implemented to enhance emniyet standards, led to a major bottleneck in crew planning.
• The On-Time Performance (OTP), which stood at 50% on December 1, plummeted to a record low of 19.7% by December 3.
• Hundreds of cancellations and delays due to crew shortages caused chaos at airports, forcing many passengers to purchase tickets from competing airlines at exorbitant prices.