IndiGo Penalised ₹22.2 Crore, Senior Operations Official Removed by DGCA
DGCA Fines IndiGo ₹22.2 Crore Over Mass Flight Cancellations, Orders Removal of Senior Official: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Saturday imposed a ₹22.2 crore penalty on IndiGo, India’s largest airline, for large-scale operational failures that led to thousands of flight cancellations and delays last month, severely inconveniencing passengers nationwide.
As part of the regulatory action, the DGCA directed IndiGo to remove Jason Harter, Senior Vice President of the Operations Control Center, from his current operational responsibilities. The aviation regulator stated that Harter failed to systematically plan and implement revised pilot duty and rest schedules in a timely manner, leading to major disruptions.
In addition, the DGCA issued warnings to IndiGo CEO Peter Elbers and COO Isidre Porqueras, holding them accountable for lapses in operational oversight and compliance.
The action follows IndiGo’s cancellation of more than 5,000 flights between December 2 and December 10, along with hundreds of services operating with prolonged delays, impacting millions of passengers across the country.
DGCA’s Statement
In its statement, the DGCA said the penalty was imposed after a detailed review of IndiGo’s operational failures, which resulted in widespread passenger inconvenience. The regulator levied a fine of ₹3 lakh per day for 68 days, along with an additional penalty of ₹1.80 crore, bringing the total fine to ₹22.2 crore.
The DGCA noted that IndiGo had completely failed to comply with the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) regulations, which are designed to ensure flight safety and crew welfare.
Failure to Comply With New FDTL Norms
In December, the DGCA had already taken action against IndiGo by ordering a 10 percent reduction in its total flight operations. Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu later informed the Rajya Sabha that the revised FDTL norms, framed following a High Court order, included 22 guidelines—15 implemented from July 1, 2025, and the remaining seven from November 1, 2025.
Despite consultations with all stakeholders, including IndiGo, the government had made it clear that compliance was mandatory and safety could not be compromised, the minister said.
Notices to IndiGo’s Top Management
The DGCA issued show-cause notices to IndiGo CEO Peter Elbers and COO Isidre Porqueras, citing leadership failures. In its notice to Elbers, the regulator stated:
“As CEO, you are responsible for ensuring effective management of the airline. However, you have failed in making timely arrangements for reliable operations and providing essential amenities to passengers.”
The DGCA said the primary reason behind the disruption was IndiGo’s inadequate preparation to meet the changed operational requirements under the approved FDTL framework.
The regulator reiterated that passenger safety and service reliability remain non-negotiable, warning that further non-compliance could invite stricter action.
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