The Delhi High Court delivered a sharp critique to the Union government, condemning its complacency as IndiGo’s flight cancellations wreaked havoc on travel plans and sent prices soaring. The bench voiced concerns over why no preventive measures were taken as the situation deteriorated, placing travelers in precarious positions while calling for reparations. The Delhi High Court delivered a sharp critique to the Union government, condemning its complacency as IndiGo’s flight cancellations wreaked havoc on travel plans and sent prices soaring. The bench voiced concerns over why no preventive measures were taken as the situation deteriorated, placing travelers in precarious positions while calling for reparations. NEW DELHI: Delhi HC reprimanded Union government Wednesday for its failure to prevent the turbulence caused by mass cancellation of IndiGo flights, wondering why it “let the crisis precipitate” and left flyers at the mercy of rival airlines “taking their pound of flesh”.”What bothers us is how such a situation arose, stranding lakhs of passengers across airports. It affects the economy… In the present day, fast movement of passengers for many reasons is an important aspect of keeping the economy functioning,” Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said.”Another issue we are concerned with is the payment of compensation to stranded, unattended passengers due to disruption in flights,” the bench said, specifying that it expected IndiGo to not just refund the ticket money but also pay damages.The judges put the onus on Centre to ensure that affected flyers received compensation for what they had to face.On fares skyrocketing as a result of the IndiGo crisis, HC demanded to know “how (domestic) fares could shoot up to Rs 40,000” and whether “other airlines start taking advantage of the crisis”.When the Centre’s counsel blamed IndiGo for not preparing for the new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms, the court sought to know if the authorities were “helpless” in taking action.”The question is why, at all, did such a situation, such a crisis arise, and what have you been doing? Why did you not ensure flight duty norms are implemented in time? There was a failure on part of govt and DGCA,” the bench said.The high court questioned the Centre’s submission that IndiGo misled it about adherence to the norms, saying authorities could have acted against the airline after it failed to implement FDTL by November 1.About the AuthorAbhinav GargAs legal editor for Delhi, Abhinav Garg handles coverage of courts and connected legal challenges shaping the capital. From breaking down complex law related jargon to simplifying how a particular verdict or development in courts may impact the readers, Abhinav brings with him over two decades of experience in the field.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosPM Modi Receives Call From Israeli PM Netanyahu; Reaffirms Support For Gaza Peace PlanUS Pushes $1.25 Billion Into Reko Diq As Critical Minerals Race Heats Up In Balochistan’s Badlands’Detect, Delete, Deport’: Amit Shah Blasts Rahul Gandhi Over Infiltrators, Oppn Stages WalkoutMicrosoft’s Biggest Asia Investment Yet: What The $17.5 Billion India Push Really Means ExplainedOwaisi Calls SIR a ‘Backdoor NRC’ in Lok Sabha, Warns of Selective Religious DisenfranchisementVande Mataram: Priyanka Chaturvedi Urges Parliament To Correct ‘WhatsApp Version’ Of India’s HistoryRahul Gandhi’s ‘Open Challenge’ To Amit Shah In Lok Sabha Over SIR Gets ‘I Will Decide’ ReplyExplained: The Sindhudesh Push In Karachi And The Historical Fractures Driving Pakistan’s TurmoilIndiGo’s 5% Flight Cut Explained: Causes, Impact on Routes, and the Ripple Effects on PassengersMicrosoft CEO ‘Thrilled’ About India’s Growing Data Centre Capacity, Details Meet With PM Modi123PhotostoriesBhagya Debata, Lal Pahare’r Katha; Mithun Chakraborty’s Bengali roles that blended romance, action and street politics5 homemade natural anti-ageing drinks that nourish from withinWinter Special: How to make Besan ka Sheera at homeNo heartbeat but still alive: 5 animals that survive without a heart’Dhurandhar’ star Sara Arjun just served the most elegant floral moment of the season‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’, ‘Shootout at Lokhandwala’: Bollywood movies that brought infamous gangsters Alive6 powerful Shiv Mantras and how reciting them regularly can bring in a transformative experience in lifeSHE Travels: 9 beach holidays in India perfect for your next girls’ trip7 daily winter soups for better digestion, immunity & energy5 vegetables that are healthier raw than cooked123Hot PicksIndia US DealMutual Fund AdvisorSpiceJet FlightGold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays NovemberBank Holidays NovemberTop TrendingPhilip Rivers Earnings 2025Resident Evil 9 UpdatesAnthony Richardson InjuryStephen Curry WifeVenus Williams and Andrea Net WorthSlient Hill 1 Remake Release DateRafael Nadal and Mery Net WorthTrey Benson Injury updateAlvin Kamara InjuryDwyane Wade Wife
NEW DELHI: Delhi HC reprimanded Union government Wednesday for its failure to prevent the turbulence caused by mass cancellation of IndiGo flights, wondering why it “let the crisis precipitate” and left flyers at the mercy of rival airlines “taking their pound of flesh”.“What bothers us is how such a situation arose, stranding lakhs of passengers across airports. It affects the economy… In the present day, fast movement of passengers for many reasons is an important aspect of keeping the economy functioning,” Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said.“Another issue we are concerned with is the payment of compensation to stranded, unattended passengers due to disruption in flights,” the bench said, specifying that it expected IndiGo to not just refund the ticket money but also pay damages.The judges put the onus on Centre to ensure that affected flyers received compensation for what they had to face.On fares skyrocketing as a result of the IndiGo crisis, HC demanded to know “how (domestic) fares could shoot up to Rs 40,000” and whether “other airlines start taking advantage of the crisis”.When the Centre’s counsel blamed IndiGo for not preparing for the new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms, the court sought to know if the authorities were “helpless” in taking action.“The question is why, at all, did such a situation, such a crisis arise, and what have you been doing? Why did you not ensure flight duty norms are implemented in time? There was a failure on part of govt and DGCA,” the bench said.The high court questioned the Centre’s submission that IndiGo misled it about adherence to the norms, saying authorities could have acted against the airline after it failed to implement FDTL by November 1.
