'How Can Airfares Jump To Rs 35,000-39,000?' Delhi High Court Pulls Up Centre For Precipitating IndiGo Crisis

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday pulled up the Centre and concerned authorities over the massive disruption of flight operations by IndiGo airlines which has led to inconvenience for thousands of passengers at major airports across the country since the last week.

Delivering a stern rebuke at the Centre, the court asked, “Why did such a situation even precipitate? What steps were taken to assist passengers?” The Bench asked the government to explain the arrangements made to manage stranded travelers and prevent harassment at airports.

Seeking a detailed explanations from the Centre on the measures taken to compensate passengers and to ensure compliance from the airline staff amid such a crisis, the court further asked, “What action has been taken to compensate passengers? How are you ensuring that airline staff behave responsibly?” The court remarked that the issue is not just limited to inconvenience, but it also involves economic loss and systemic failures.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma informed the Delhi High Court that the Centre had been aiming to implement the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) for a long time, but the airline had sought extensions for the July and November phases before the single judge.

“This is the first time the Ministry has intervened. We have capped the fares this cap itself is a stringent regulatory action,” he said.

Questioning the Centre over the extortive prices charged by other airlines amid the crisis before the government introduced price caps for airfares, the Delhi High Court noted that tickets previously available for Rs 5,000 had surged to Rs 30,000--35,000. 

“If there were a crisis, how could other airlines be allowed to take advantage? How can fares jump to Rs 35,000–39,000? How could other carriers start charging these amounts? How can this happen?” the Bench asked.

In response, ASG Chetan Sharma, referring to relevant documents, submitted that the “statutory mechanism is totally in place.”

The ASG also informed the Delhi High Court that a show-cause notice had been issued and the airline, in its reply, had “offered a profuse apology.” He added that the FDTL scheme had been pending since 2024 because of the airline’s repeated requests for extensions and continued assurances before the single judge.

Questioning the Centre over the steps taken to deal with the crisis, the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court said, “If they (IndiGo) failed, what action did you take? You allowed the situation to reach this point.”

The Delhi High Court directed the Centre to ensure that adequate steps are taken to promptly initiate compensation payments to IndiGo passengers who were stranded at the airport.

IndiGo cancelled and delayed thousands of flights in the past week due to alleged shortage of pilots owing to the newly introduced FDTL rules. These cancellations spiralled up into a large-scale aviation crisis across the country, with key airports witnessing chaos and thousands of passengers stranded for hours. The new norms were then taken back by the government and IndiGo promised to mitigate the crisis in the next few days.

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