IndiGo refunds over Dh41 million as flight operations near full recovery

Dubai: India's biggest carrier, IndiGo, said Monday it has refunded more than INR 827 crores (approx. Dh41.15 million) to customers affected by recent flight cancellations.

The remaining refunds are currently being processed for cancellations up to December 15, said IndiGo.

The airline said it is operating more than 1,800 flights today (Monday, December 8), nearly seven days into the crisis. It said it is reconnecting its entire network after ramping up capacity from about 1,650 flights yesterday.

The airline's on-time performance has improved significantly, reaching 91 per cent across the network compared to roughly 75 per cent the day before.

“All cancellations scheduled for today were executed yesterday, allowing us to notify customers well in advance,” an IndiGo spokesperson said, highlighting the improved customer communication.

IndiGo said it has been assisting passengers on a large scale, facilitating over 9,500 hotel rooms and arranging about 10,000 cabs and buses for stranded customers between December 1 and 7.

More than 4,500 bags have been delivered to their owners, with the rest expected within the next 36 hours.

The airline continues to support over 200,000 customers daily across multiple communication channels, emphasizing its commitment to service recovery.

However, passengers have been advised to check the latest flight updates on IndiGo’s official website before heading to the airport. Refund requests can be submitted online or via the customer support team.

“We deeply regret the disruption caused and sincerely apologise to all our customers for the inconvenience,” the IndiGo spokesperson added.

IndiGo’s disruptions have also been attributed to governance and leadership-cohesion challenges rather than demand or cost issues.

Linus Benjamin Bauer, founder of Dubai-based BAA & Partners, told Gulf News that the airline’s reputation for reliability and disciplined execution—the core of its brand—has been put at risk by public fractures in its leadership.

“A governance rift that spills into the public domain undermines the culture of operational discipline developed over two decades,” Bauer said.

He warned that the airline now faces an “execution-risk premium” as questions arise over on-time performance, crew morale, and customer experience.

Bauer said there are wider implications for Indian travellers, noting that alternative carriers lack the scale and capital to fully compensate for IndiGo in times of crisis.

With Air India still in turnaround mode, “stability at IndiGo isn’t just good for the airline—it is a macro-level requirement for the Indian consumer.”