The Supreme Court on Monday refused to fast-track a petition seeking immediate judicial intervention in the ongoing IndiGo turmoil, where widespread operational failures have triggered a week of cancellations across the country.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant observed that the situation, though severe, is already under the scrutiny of the Union government. IndiGo has scrapped over 4,500 flights since last Tuesday, causing large-scale inconvenience nationwide.
“We cannot step in to manage an airline,” the CJI remarked, turning down the request for an emergency hearing.
A lawyer pressing for urgent consideration told the Bench that passengers were being left helpless as flights were cancelled abruptly and without prior notice. Responding to this, the Chief Justice acknowledged the gravity of the crisis, saying that “lakhs of travellers remain stuck at airports,” including those dealing with medical emergencies or important commitments.
However, he emphasized that the judiciary could not assume the role of operating an airline and noted that the Centre had already taken steps to address the situation.
“Let the government’s actions unfold. We will watch how the matter progresses,” he said.
While the Supreme Court declined to step in immediately, the Delhi High Court agreed to hear a Public Interest Litigation on Wednesday. The petition accuses IndiGo of multiple regulatory violations—ranging from sudden cancellations and overbooking to discriminatory treatment of passengers and ignoring DGCA rules—which allegedly contributed to the ongoing aviation mess.
The PIL requests an independent judicial inquiry into the wave of cancellations and seeks directions for the Centre to ensure stranded passengers receive essential facilities at airports.
IndiGo’s disruptions stretched into a seventh consecutive day on Monday, with around 450 additional flights scrapped. The airline’s cumulative cancellations have now crossed 4,500, leaving crowds of passengers stuck in terminals across India.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has already sent show-cause notices to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and the carrier’s accountable manager, demanding explanations for the unprecedented breakdown.
According to government sources, the airline submitted its response to the Centre on Monday in a “tightly guarded” communication.
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