Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Dec 21: Indian airline IndiGo is set to begin compensating passengers affected by large-scale flight cancellations earlier this month, with payouts scheduled to start from December 26. The move follows widespread disruptions between December 3 and 5, when several travellers were left stranded at airports for hours.
As per reports, IndiGo will provide travel vouchers worth Rs 10,000 to passengers who were severely impacted. These vouchers will be in addition to the Rs 5,000–Rs 10,000 compensation already prescribed under government aviation norms. The decision was taken during a high-level review meeting chaired by Aviation Secretary Samir Sinha, who directed the airline to ensure timely and complete disbursal to all eligible passengers.
Passengers who booked tickets directly through IndiGo’s website are expected to receive compensation first, as their details are readily available with the airline. IndiGo has also been instructed to obtain passenger data from travel agents and online travel portals to facilitate direct payments to those who booked through third-party platforms.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will oversee the compensation process, while the civil aviation ministry will track grievances through its Air Seva portal to ensure compliance.
Although IndiGo has already processed refunds for cancelled flights, reports indicate that many passengers who booked via online travel agencies (OTAs) are still awaiting payments, pointing to coordination challenges between airlines and booking platforms. MakeMyTrip alone has reportedly issued refunds worth nearly Rs 10 crore after DGCA intervention, even before receiving funds from IndiGo.
Earlier, IndiGo Chairman Vikram Singh Mehta said the airline’s board would appoint external technical experts to investigate the reasons behind the operational breakdown and recommend measures to prevent a recurrence.
IndiGo has maintained that its network has been fully restored since December 8, with flight operations stabilising from December 9 onwards.