Today, On 15th December, The Supreme Court declined to entertain a plea over IndiGo flight delays and cancellations, observing that parallel proceedings should be avoided. The Bench advised petitioners to approach the High Court first, leaving liberty to return later if aggrieved.
The Supreme Court chose not to address a plea concerning the turmoil caused by Indigo airline’s flight cancellations and delays.
The bench, consisting of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice Vipul M Pancholi, observed that the issue is already under consideration by the High Court.
Consequently, the court stated that the petitioner, advocate Narendra Mishra, is free to participate in the ongoing proceedings before the High Court.
Also Read: IndiGo Flight Fiasco 2025: 1,000+ Cancellations Leave Flyers Furious Across India
Urging the High Court to permit Mishra to intervene in the case currently before it, the bench remarked,
“We appreciate the issue but instead of parallel proceedings, you go to High Court,”
When Mishra argued that passengers were facing significant hardships daily, the court recognized the gravity of the situation but emphasized its inability to intervene since a constitutional court is already addressing the matter.
The bench added,
“It is also a constitutional court. If your grievances are not redressed then you can come here,”
Additionally, it was highlighted that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has already established an expert committee to examine the issues surrounding Indigo.
The airline faced a shortage of pilots and struggled to implement new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) regulations. In response to the crisis, the DGCA granted Indigo an exemption to help manage the situation and mandated a 10 percent reduction in scheduled flights.
Previously, the Delhi High Court criticized the Union government and the DGCA for not preventing the crisis and ordered Indigo to compensate passengers stranded at airports due to flight cancellations or delays.
The High Court stated,
“We appreciate the steps taken by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and DGCA. However, what bothers us is as to how such a situation was allowed to precipitate, leaving lakhs of passengers unattended at the airports. Such a situation is not confined to causing inconvenience to the passengers but also affects the economy of the country, as in the present day fast movement of passengers is an important aspect to keep the economy functioning,”
The court then mandated that once the ongoing DGCA inquiry against Indigo is concluded, the findings must be submitted to it in a sealed cover.
Following the hearing, the DGCA dismissed four flight operation inspectors and reassigned several of its officers to Indigo’s headquarters in Gurgaon to ensure a return to normal air travel.
Case Title: NARENDRA MISHRA V UNION OF INDIA AND ANR. W.P.(C) No. 1232/2025
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