IndiGo will begin issuing ₹10,000 travel vouchers to passengers severely affected by mass flight cancellations that occurred earlier in December, starting December 26, 2025. This move follows a directive from the civil aviation ministry to expedite compensation payouts to eligible passengers. The decision was reached after a high-level review led by Aviation Secretary Samir Sinha.
The travel vouchers are intended for passengers who experienced significant disruptions and were stranded at airports for extended periods on December 3, 4, and 5. These vouchers are in addition to the standard compensation of ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 mandated by existing government regulations.
According to reports, between December 1 and 9, IndiGo cancelled 4,354 flights, with 2,507 cancellations occurring between December 3 and 5. This disruption could potentially affect over 3.8 lakh passengers, assuming an average of 150 passengers per flight, which could result in the airline issuing vouchers worth over ₹376 crore.
IndiGo has been instructed to prioritize compensation for passengers who booked their tickets directly through the IndiGo website, as the airline already possesses their data. For passengers who booked through travel agents or online travel agencies (OTAs), IndiGo has been directed to gather passenger information to ensure that payments are made directly to the customers.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will oversee the compensation process to ensure that all eligible passengers are compensated. The Ministry of Civil Aviation will also monitor complaints and delays through its Air Seva grievance redressal portal.
While IndiGo has initiated refunds for cancelled flights, many passengers who booked through OTAs are still awaiting their refunds. This delay is due to coordination issues between airlines, booking platforms, and banks. IndiGo stated that it has issued full refunds without deductions and that OTAs are responsible for passing the money to the passengers. Some OTAs, like MakeMyTrip, have reportedly initiated refunds even before receiving them from IndiGo. The DGCA had previously held a meeting with OTAs, instructing them to provide full refunds without any deductions.
