If you tried to fly in India this week, you probably didn’t.
What started as a few delays has spiraled into a full-blown “meltdown” for India’s largest airline, turning airports into protest zones.
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After IndiGo cancelled over 1,000 flights in just four days (including 500+ on Friday alone), the Government finally stepped in today with a “strict” set of orders to stop the bleeding.
Here is the breakdown of the chaos, the new rules, and the viral poem that sums it all up.
The Government Whips the Crack: New Orders
The Ministry of Civil Aviation realized that “sorry” wasn’t cutting it anymore. Today, they issued three major directives that every traveler needs to know:
- The “Refund” Deadline: The Centre has ordered IndiGo to clear all pending passenger refunds by 8:00 PM tomorrow (Sunday, Dec 7). No more “7-10 business days” excuses; they want the money back in your account immediately.
- Fare Caps Are Back: Other airlines were charging ₹65,000 for a Delhi-Mumbai ticket (opportunistic pricing at its finest). The government has now imposed strict caps on fares:
- Short Flights (<500 km): Capped at ₹7,500.
- Long Flights (>1500 km): Capped at ₹18,000.
- Note: This applies to Economy seats only.
- Missing Bags: If your luggage is lost in this mess (and thousands are), IndiGo has been ordered to deliver it to your doorstep within 48 hours.
Why Is This Happening?
The airline claims the chaos is due to “crew shortages” caused by new pilot fatigue rules (FDTL norms) that limit how much pilots can fly.
- The Irony: To fix the crisis, the government has now put these safety rules “on hold” temporarily, allowing pilots to fly more hours just to clear the backlog.
The Viral Moment: “CEO said sorry, Bro, that’s cute.”
When corporate statements fail, poetry takes over.
A poem written by a frustrated passenger stranded at the airport has gone viral today. It perfectly captures the helplessness of the common flyer.
Some hitting lines from the poem:
“The CEO said sorry, Bro, that’s cute.
But where’s the Chairman? Where’s the founder in his corporate suit?”
“Minister Saab, this wasn’t a glitch,
It was a public transport Waterloo.”
The poem, which calls out the airline’s monopoly (owning 64% of the sky) and the government’s silence, has struck a chord with thousands of people sharing it on X and LinkedIn.
The Verdict
If you have a flight scheduled for Sunday or Monday, check your status before you leave for the airport.
The government says normalcy will return by December 10-15, but until then, the Indian skies are a bit turbulent.