DGCA to question IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers on Dec 12 as widespread flight disruptions continue

DGCA has summoned IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers for an inquiry on December 12 as the airline’s operational crisis deepens, with 60 more cancellations reported in Bengaluru a day after 220 scrapped flights across major hubs.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has summoned IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers to appear before its Committee of Officers on December 12, 2025, as the regulator probes the airline’s severe operational disruptions. The summons was disclosed through a regulatory filing to stock exchanges on December 11.

The move signals heightened regulatory scrutiny after IndiGo scrapped hundreds of flights in recent days, affecting operations across Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai.

Fresh cancellations hit Bengaluru

Even as the summons became public, IndiGo faced yet another wave of disruptions.

Sixty flights were cancelled at Bengaluru Airport on Thursday, 32 arrivals and 28 departures, according to figures reported by PTI. Passengers at Kempegowda International Airport experienced long queues, delays and repeated schedule changes.

The cancellations come a day after IndiGo grounded 220 flights nationwide. Delhi alone saw 137 cancellations, underscoring the scale of the disruption.

Regulator examines cause–effect chain behind crisis

The DGCA inquiry is expected to focus on the airline’s crew availability, rostering processes, and the operational impact of revised Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) norms, a key factor the industry has warned could strain manpower planning during peak winter schedules.

India’s aviation regulator, which rarely summons CEOs directly, has in past crises intervened at lower operational levels. The direct call to Elbers suggests DGCA is seeking company-wide accountability for what has become one of IndiGo’s largest mass cancellations since 2020.

Chairman issues apology after prolonged silence

IndiGo Chairman Vikram Mehta issued a statement on Wednesday apologising to passengers after nearly ten days of criticism over the airline’s silence.

Mehta attributed the cascading disruptions to a combination of:

• minor technical issues,
• winter schedule transitions,
• adverse weather,
• congestion across India’s aviation system, and
• operational challenges arising from updated FDTL implementation.

His acknowledgement marks the first public admission from the airline’s top leadership that multiple internal and external factors converged to create a systemwide breakdown.