Delhi HC Questions Government Over IndiGo Flight Cancellations And Surge In Airfares

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday raised concerns over the circumstances that led to the cancellation of hundreds of IndiGo flights, terming the situation a “crisis” and questioning the Central government on how it was allowed to escalate.

A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela highlighted not only the inconvenience caused to stranded passengers but also the economic impact of such disruptions. “We appreciate the steps taken by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the DGCA but what bothers us is how such a situation was allowed to precipitate, leading to stranding of lakhs of passengers at airports across the country. This has not only caused trouble to the passengers but also affected the economy of the country as in the present day, fast movement of passengers is an important aspect to keep the economy moving,” the bench said, according to PTI.

The court also questioned how other airlines capitalised on the crisis by charging exorbitant fares. “The ticket which was available for Rs 5,000, the prices went up to Rs 30,000 to Rs 35,000. If there was a crisis, how could other airlines be permitted to take advantage? How can it (ticket price) go up to Rs 35,000 and Rs 39,000? How could other airlines start charging,” the bench asked during a hearing that lasted over one-and-a-half hours.

During proceedings, the Centre and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) informed the court that statutory mechanisms were in place and that a show-cause notice had been issued to IndiGo, which had “apologised profusely”. Government counsel added that the crisis had resulted from non-compliance with guidelines, including regulations on flight duty hours for crew members, but asserted that the unprecedented surge had now been controlled, reported PTI.

The bench directed that the inquiry initiated by the committee should submit its report in a sealed cover by the next hearing on January 22, if completed. It also ordered IndiGo to arrange compensation for passengers affected not only by flight cancellations but also by other inconveniences caused during the crisis.

While refraining from commenting on the precise reasons for the airline’s operational disruptions, the court said, “Since a committee has already been constituted where IndiGo will have an opportunity to put forth its case, we refrain from making any observation as to the reason for disruptions of flight operations of respondent No. 3 (airline). While we have taken cognisance of the issue in public interest, we make it clear that the observations are aimed to ensure that best public interest is served both by the government and the airline (IndiGo).”

The bench expressed dissatisfaction over the manner in which the public interest litigation was filed, citing a lack of research and documentation. Authorities were also directed to ensure that the situation stabilises promptly and that airlines maintain an adequate number of pilots, PTI reported.

The matter was being heard in a PIL seeking directions for the Centre to provide support and refunds to passengers stranded by IndiGo’s flight cancellations.

(With inputs from PTI)