IndiGo, which is going through operational turbulence, on Friday assured passengers that it is expediting refund processing throughout December, saying its teams are “working to make things right” and that a structured compensation programme will begin in January 2026.
In a statement on X, the carrier said that most refunds for affected customers have already been completed, with the remaining ones expected to be credited shortly. It further said that it is identifying flights where passengers were stranded at airports on December 3-5 due to severe operational disruption.
“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.
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 12, 2025
IndiGo said that it will reach out to affected customers in January 2026. Compensation payouts, based on current estimates, could exceed Rs 500 crore due to the widespread disruptions, which will cover passengers whose flights were cancelled within 24 hours of departure, and travellers who were stranded for prolonged durations at select airports.
“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 further emphasised that its goal is to make the entire process “transparent, easy, and hassle-free,” and expressed appreciation for customers’ patience.
“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 on Thursday, IndiGo offered travel vouchers worth Rs 10,000 to impacted passengers, redeemable for any future journey within 12 months. This payment is in addition to compensation mandated under existing government rules, which require airlines to pay Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 to passengers whose flights were cancelled within 24 hours of departure, depending on sector length.
Passengers hit by airline-initiated cancellations qualify for full refunds. IndiGo also waived rescheduling and self-cancellation charges until December 15, 2025, providing flexibility amid the chaos.
India’s largest airline, IndiGo, faced one of its worst operational crises in early December, when a severe crew shortage triggered mass cancellations and widespread chaos across major airports between December 3 and 9. The airline around 160 flights from two key airports, Delhi and Bengaluru, on Friday.
Thousands of passengers were stranded for hours, flights were grounded without clear communication, and airport terminals saw heavy congestion as the airline’s rostering system collapsed.
The crisis triggered a full-scale intervention by the Centre, which ordered a high-level probe, put Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms in abeyance, and directed the airline to initiate automatic refunds for all cancelled flights.
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