In an unprecedented intervention, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has stepped in aggressively to curb what it termed“unusually high airfares” charged by airlines amid IndiGo's massive operational meltdown, which has crippled flight operations across India for the second consecutive day.

With passengers stranded, airports overwhelmed, and ticket prices spiralling overnight, public anger has escalated sharply. Responding to the growing outrage, MoCA announced that it has now invoked its regulatory powers to enforce strict limits on airfares on all affected routes.

See the price of Airfare because of #Indigo disruptions, can you please tell how many of the middle class indian can afford such a rise in airfare because of the situation. @RamMNK Sir please make some law/rules for the situation for future references. twitter/oPBqvoTsBX

- Shukla (@Spo_onful_Love) December 5, 2025

The Ministry stated:“To protect passengers from any form of opportunistic pricing, the Ministry has invoked its regulatory powers to ensure fair and reasonable fares across all affected routes.”

The directive, issued Saturday afternoon, orders airlines to comply immediately with newly prescribed fare caps-limits that will remain until“the situation fully stabilises.”

MoCA emphasised its objective:“to maintain pricing discipline in the market, prevent any exploitation of passengers in distress, and ensure that citizens who urgently need to travel - including senior citizens, students, and patients - are not subjected to financial hardship during this period.”

Passengers Reel Under Price Surge as IndiGo Cancels 400+ Flights Today

The chaos worsened Saturday as IndiGo cancelled over 400 flights across four major airports-Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, and Hyderabad.

This followed a staggering 1,000+ cancellations on Friday, a day that triggered nationwide outrage and forced IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers to break his silence with a public apology.

Breakdown of Today's Cancellations

• Bengaluru: 124 flights (63 departures, 61 arrivals)
• Mumbai: 109 flights (51 departures, 58 arrivals)
• Delhi: 106 flights (54 departures, 52 arrivals)
• Hyderabad: 66 flights

Airports witnessed serpentine queues, passengers sleeping on terminal floors, and last-minute ticket prices-where available-soaring into several tens of thousands of rupees. Social media was flooded with clips of stranded families and furious travellers demanding government action.

MoCA Moves After DGCA's Controversial Relaxations Spark Backlash

MoCA's regulatory intervention comes on the heels of a deeply controversial decision by the DGCA on Friday, which granted IndiGo temporary relief from the newly enforced Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) norms.

The DGCA eased several fatigue-mitigation rules:

• Night duty redefined to 12 am – 5 am (earlier 12 am – 6 am)
• Increase in permitted night landings from 2 to 6
• Additional operational relaxations

These concessions, granted after IndiGo disruptions peaked, were intended to help the airline stabilise operations. Instead, they ignited a fresh storm.

Pilot Body Slams DGCA:“Selective and Unsafe Relief”

The Airlines' Pilots Association (ALPA) India condemned the DGCA's relaxations in unusually strong language, calling them“selective and unsafe” and accusing the regulator of placing“millions of passengers at heightened risk.”

ALPA said the move had“destroyed regulatory parity” and violated the spirit of the Delhi High Court's fatigue-mitigation directives.

The Association warned:“Keeping the FDTL in abeyance not only undermines judicial authority but also heightens the risk to pilots and passengers by delaying essential fatigue protections.”

They urged MoCA to“prioritise the safety of the pilots and travelling public above all commercial considerations.”

MoCA Meeting with Pilot Unions Leads to New Twist

Following intense backlash, MoCA convened an emergency meeting with ALPA India and other pilot groups on December 5.

By late Friday, the Ministry announced that the implementation of the revised FDTL CAR has been placed in abeyance-a decision that has now triggered a fresh legal-regulatory debate.

ALPA insists this step violates the High Court's clear directions and delays implementation of fatigue-mitigation measures long overdue since 2024.

IndiGo at the Eye of the Storm

IndiGo-partially owned by Rahul Bhatia-has been the most vocal opponent of the new FDTL norms since they were introduced.

The latest norms include:

• 48-hour weekly rest
• Extended night-duty hours
• Reduction of night landings from 6 to 2

While the first phase was implemented in July and the second phase on November 1, the carrier repeatedly sought delays citing crew shortages.

Other airlines including Air India initially resisted too, but later complied following HC directives.

Real-Time Fare Monitoring to Continue

MoCA said it will closely track fare levels:“The Ministry will continue to closely monitor fare levels through real-time data and active coordination with airlines and online travel platforms. Any deviation from the prescribed norms will attract immediate corrective action in the larger public interest.”

This marks one of the rare instances of the government invoking fare regulation on domestic airlines outside of natural disasters or airspace closures.

As thousands remain stranded and IndiGo struggles to stabilise operations, Saturday's intervention signals the government's intent to prioritise consumer protection amid a worsening aviation crisis.

The coming days will determine whether fare caps and temporary FDTL suspensions bring relief-or add to an increasingly volatile situation involving airlines, regulators, pilots, and courts.

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