DGCA Issues Show Cause Notice to IndiGo’s Top Brass as Massive Flight Disruptions Trigger Parliamentary Scrutiny
India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has issued a show cause notice to IndiGo Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers and Chief Operating Officer Isidre Porqueras, holding them personally accountable for the unprecedented disruptions that crippled the airline’s network this week.
A show cause notice is a formal directive requiring recipients to explain their conduct within a specified timeframe. Failure to provide a satisfactory response could result in penalties, including fines or even licence-related actions. The decision to address the notice directly to the two senior executives—rather than to IndiGo as a corporate entity—is being viewed as a significant and unusually stern move by the regulator.
The action follows several days of chaos across airports nationwide, with hundreds of IndiGo flights cancelled and thousands of passengers stranded. The turmoil has been traced to IndiGo’s alleged failure to comply with the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) regulations, which mandate stricter rest and duty cycles for flight and cabin crew. The airline reportedly did not adequately restructure crew rosters in line with the new norms, resulting in grounded aircraft and widespread operational breakdowns.
In a statement issued on the evening of December 6, 2025, IndiGo said it had restored over 95% of its operations and resumed services to 135 of its 138 domestic and international destinations.
Meanwhile, the crisis has drawn the attention of Parliament. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, chaired by JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha, is expected to summon senior executives of private airlines, along with officials from the DGCA and the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The panel seeks explanations on the causes of the service collapse and recommendations to prevent similar incidents.
Several Members of Parliament, many of whom were travelling to Delhi for the ongoing Winter Session, were themselves affected by flight cancellations and delays. MPs have also flagged complaints from citizens about soaring airfares amid the disruptions.
The committee’s review is likely to intensify scrutiny of both airline management practices and regulatory oversight in one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets.
