IndiGo on Friday said it is fast-tracking the processing of refunds through December after severe operational disruptions earlier this month, assuring passengers that pending amounts will be credited shortly and a structured compensation programme will begin in January 2026.
The airline, which faced mass cancellations and delays between December 3 and 9 due to a crew shortage, said most refunds to affected passengers have already been processed. The remaining refunds are expected to reflect soon, it added, as the carrier works to stabilise operations following one of its worst crises in recent years.
“At this stage, our primary focus through December 2025 is ensuring that all refunds for affected customers are processed efficiently, expeditiously, and with the utmost urgency. Most of them have already been completed, and the remaining ones will reflect shortly,” IndiGo said in a post on X.
Compensation payouts may exceed Rs 500 crore
IndiGo said it is identifying flights where passengers were severely impacted and stranded at airports between December 3 and 5, following widespread cancellations and delays. The airline said it will reach out to such customers in January 2026 to extend compensation.
“We are currently in the process of identifying flights where customers were severely impacted and stranded at the airports (on 3/4/5 December 2025). We will be reaching out to all such customers in January so that compensation can be extended smoothly. In our current estimation, will be in excess of ₹500 crores to customers whose flights were cancelled within 24 hours of departure time and/or to customers severely stranded at certain airports,” it added.
The airline said the compensation will cover passengers whose flights were cancelled within 24 hours of departure as well as those stranded for prolonged periods at select airports. It also stressed that the process will be designed to be simple and transparent for passengers.
“Our goal is to make this process as transparent, easy, and hassle-free as possible for you. Your patience and understanding mean a lot to us. Please know that we are here for you and will continue working diligently until everything is set right,” the airline stated.
Earlier relief measures and regulatory intervention
On Thursday, IndiGo announced travel vouchers worth Rs 10,000 for affected passengers, redeemable for future travel within 12 months. This is in addition to compensation mandated under government rules, which require airlines to pay between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 depending on flight distance for cancellations within 24 hours of departure.
The airline also waived rescheduling and self-cancellation charges until December 15, 2025, and reiterated that passengers affected by airline-initiated cancellations are eligible for full refunds.
India’s largest airline faced a major operational breakdown in early December after a crew rostering failure triggered large-scale cancellations, particularly at Delhi and Bengaluru airports. Thousands of passengers were left stranded, prompting intervention by the Centre, which ordered a high-level probe, temporarily relaxed Flight Duty Time Limitation norms, and directed IndiGo to initiate automatic refunds for all cancelled flights.