The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India's aviation regulatory body, has imposed a significant penalty of ₹22.20 crore on IndiGo airlines. This fine stems from massive flight disruptions, including widespread cancellations and delays, that occurred between December 3 and 5, 2025, leaving over three lakh passengers stranded across various airports in India. The DGCA's action followed a comprehensive inquiry committee constituted by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The probe identified several critical issues, including over-optimisation of operations, inadequate regulatory preparedness, deficiencies in system software support, and significant shortcomings in management structure and operational control on IndiGo's part. Specifically, the airline was found to have failed in identifying planning gaps, maintaining sufficient operational buffers, and effectively implementing the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms. Out of the total penalty, ₹1.80 crore accounts for one-time systemic violations of Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs), while the larger portion of ₹20.40 crore was levied as a daily penalty of ₹30 lakh over 68 days for continued non-compliance with FDTL norms. In addition to the monetary penalty, the DGCA also issued warnings to IndiGo's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for inadequate oversight and crisis management, and to the Accountable Manager (Chief Operating Officer) for failing to assess the impact of the winter schedule and revised FDTL norms. To ensure future compliance and systemic corrections, IndiGo has also been directed to furnish a bank guarantee of ₹50 crore. IndiGo stated its commitment to taking full cognisance of the orders and implementing appropriate measures, and has processed refunds and offered travel vouchers to affected passengers.