India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has imposed a ₹22.20-crore penalty on IndiGo Airlines following massive flight disruptions between December 3 and 5, 2025, which left more than three lakh passengers stranded across the country.

During the three-day crisis, 2,507 flights were cancelled and 1,852 flights were delayed, making it one of the largest operational failures recorded in India’s civil aviation sector.

₹1.80 crore as a one-time penalty for six major violations of Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), including failures in Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) compliance, operational control, and management oversight.

₹20.40 crore as a continuing penalty for 68 days of sustained non-compliance between December 5, 2025, and February 10, 2026, calculated at a daily rate of ₹30 lakh.

A detailed inquiry by the regulator found that the disruptions stemmed from IndiGo’s aggressive operational optimisation and weak regulatory preparedness.