The airline confirmed that it operated over 1,950 flights on Thursday, maintaining a steady schedule for three consecutive days with minimal cancellations. IndiGo has already processed refunds worth nearly ₹1,000 crore for affected passengers and announced a ₹10,000 travel voucher for those stranded between December 3 and 5—over and above the government-mandated compensation.
However, Sanjay Lazar, CEO of Avialaz Consultants, says these steps, while commendable, only scratch the surface.
“I can see that they are making huge efforts to bring some kind of recompense to passengers and the nation that suffered. I do commend this as a good step,” Lazar told CNBC-TV18. “But there is a lot more that needs to be done. IndiGo will need to focus on internal corrections and rebuilding trust with both the government and regulators. The regulatory scrutiny we are seeing is huge, and rightly so.”
Vijay Gopalan, former CFO of AirAsia India and now CFO of Entellus Industries, added that while IndiGo enjoys a dominant market position, the crisis highlights structural challenges in India’s aviation oversight.
“If timely intervention had happened at multiple stages, we may not have reached this point,” Gopalan said. “For passengers, IndiGo is currently the only meaningful option. But for the airline to truly regain credibility, it must address the internal issues that caused this implosion.”
Capt. M.R. Wadia, Founder and President of the Federation of Indian Pilots, went further, questioning the competence and structure of India’s aviation regulator.
“We are looking at the surface now, but the root problems have been brewing for years,” Wadia said. “The DGCA is full of bonded bureaucrats with minimal technical expertise in aviation safety. Airlines have often received dispensations for compliance lapses, sometimes at the cost of safety. Until these systemic issues are corrected, operational crises will continue to surface.”
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IndiGo’s ₹10,000 voucher announcement comes amid these deeper concerns. According to CNBC-TV18 estimates the airline may face total payouts of over ₹525 crore in addition to ticket refunds. Questions remain about how and when passengers will receive travel vouchers, and whether regulatory penalties might follow.
While the airline’s immediate recovery in operations is notable, experts stress that realignment of internal processes, adherence to safety norms, and proactive regulatory compliance will determine whether IndiGo can fully repair its reputation in the long term.
Watch accompanying video for entire discussion.