India’s largest airline, IndiGo, is facing one of the biggest crises in its history—thousands of cancelled flights, airports overflowing with stranded passengers, and growing anger across the country. After nearly a week of disruptions, IndiGo chairman and Non-Executive Independent Director Vikram Singh Mehta has issued a rare public apology, calling the situation “distressing” and assuring a full-scale internal review.
For millions of travellers who depend on IndiGo every day, Mehta’s eight-minute video message is the first direct acknowledgment of responsibility from the top.
“We are truly, truly sorry,” says IndiGo
chairman
In the video released Monday, Mehta admitted that an “unexpected chain of events” on December 3 triggered widespread cancellations that spiraled into chaos across major airports.
“Thousands of our passengers were left stranded… We know the distress this caused,” Mehta said. “We did not meet your expectations during those days. And for that, we are truly, truly sorry.”
The chairman added that IndiGo owes “answers” not just to passengers, but also to the government, shareholders, and employees.
What caused the crisis? Board ropes in external experts
Signalling the seriousness of the situation, Mehta revealed that IndiGo’s Board has decided to bring in external technical experts to conduct a deep-dive assessment into the operational breakdown.
He stressed that the disruptions were not due to any “deliberate action,” but the result of a combination of internal lapses and unforeseen external factors—details the airline is yet to disclose publicly.
Flight cancellations crossed thousands — and chaos followed
The airline has cancelled thousands of flights nationwide since December 3. While cancellations hit their peak on December 5, the situation improved slightly by Tuesday. However, passengers again faced trouble on Wednesday, with nearly 220 flights cancelled at major airports including Delhi and Mumbai.
Long queues, last-minute cancellations, misinformation, and hours-long delays have fuelled public outrage. The Delhi High Court recently slammed both IndiGo and the central government, calling the crisis a “systemic failure” that caused “financial loss to the country’s economy.”
DGCA summons IndiGo CEO for explanation
The aviation regulator DGCA has taken serious note of the crisis. It has summoned IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers to its office on Thursday. Elbers must submit a comprehensive report explaining the reasons behind the operational collapse and the steps being taken to prevent a repeat.
This comes days after the regulator ordered a 5% reduction in IndiGo’s winter schedule, citing concerns over the airline’s ability to operate at full capacity safely.
What happens next for passengers?
Mehta promised that IndiGo will:
●Review every failure point in the system
●Strengthen internal processes
●Improve communication transparency
●Prevent future large-scale disruptions
He assured passengers that operations have now “stabilised” and the team is working round-the-clock to ensure normalcy.
India watches closely as IndiGo enters damage-control mode
IndiGo has long been considered India’s most punctual and reliable airline. This unprecedented week-long disruption has shaken public confidence and raised difficult questions about the airline’s preparedness, staffing, and crisis-management systems.
With the DGCA’s intervention, a board-ordered investigation, and public scrutiny at its peak, IndiGo faces a critical test: Can it rebuild trust?
For now, the airline’s message is simple — “We are sorry, and we will fix this.”
