Delhi High Court Slams Centre Over IndiGo Crisis, Questions Airfare Surge from ₹5,000 to ₹39,000

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sharply reprimanded the Central government over the chaos caused by mass cancellations of IndiGo flights and the steep spike in airfares that followed. Hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), the court demanded answers on why ticket prices—earlier available for ₹5,000—were allowed to soar to an exorbitant ₹35,000–₹39,000.

Chief Justice-led bench questioned the government for failing to prevent the crisis and asked what immediate steps were taken to assist stranded passengers across the country.

“If they failed, what did you do?” – Court to Centre

During the hearing, Chief Justice confronted Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma, saying, “If IndiGo failed, what did you do? You allowed the situation to deteriorate.”
In response, Sharma stated that the issue was not about what the government failed to do, but about IndiGo’s operational collapse.

The court, however, was not satisfied. It stressed that the matter was not limited to passenger inconvenience but involved “significant economic loss caused by mismanagement.”

Why Were Other Airlines Allowed to Exploit the Situation?

Expressing strong displeasure, the court asked how competing airlines were allowed to take undue advantage of the crisis:

“Tickets that cost ₹5,000 suddenly shot up to ₹35,000–₹39,000. How could other airlines charge such outrageous fares? How was this allowed?” the bench asked.

The ASG informed the court that the government had put emergency measures in place, prioritizing senior citizens and medically vulnerable passengers. However, the judges noted that intervention came after the damage had been done.

Government Imposes Price Cap After Court’s Tough Questions

Following the court’s observations, the Ministry of Civil Aviation issued instructions to cap airfares to prevent further exploitation. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) also set up a review committee, which identified several operational shortcomings on the part of the airlines.

The High Court noted that both the ministry and DGCA appeared to be taking the issue seriously but emphasised the need for stricter oversight to prevent recurrence.

PIL Raised Concerns About Passenger Harassment

The PIL highlighted not only widespread flight cancellations but also alleged misbehavior by airline staff and “predatory pricing” by other carriers. Although the court expressed dissatisfaction with the petition’s lack of documentation, it agreed to hear the case due to the gravity of the situation.

Initially, the court had declined urgent hearing, but mounting passenger distress and rising public outrage prompted judicial intervention.

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