Supreme Court Refuses Urgent Hearing in IndiGo Crisis, Says Govt Must Act First

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant an urgent hearing on a plea seeking intervention in the ongoing IndiGo aviation crisis, which has triggered widespread flight cancellations across the country for seven consecutive days.

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said the Court would first assess the steps being taken by the Centre before considering judicial intervention. The CJI emphasised that while the disruption is severe and has left “lakhs of people stranded at airports,” the judiciary cannot take over the functioning of an airline.

“We can’t run an airline. It’s a very serious issue. We understand that… but the Government of India has taken cognisance. Timely action appears to have been taken. Let us see what happens,” CJI Kant remarked.

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More than 4,500 IndiGo flights have been cancelled since last Tuesday, with 450 cancellations reported on Monday alone. A lawyer mentioning the matter before the Bench highlighted that passengers were suffering due to abrupt cancellations without prior notice.

Delhi High Court to Hear PIL on Wednesday

In a parallel development, the Delhi High Court agreed to hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging widespread violations by IndiGo, including overbooking, arbitrary cancellations, discriminatory practices, lack of passenger facilities, and DGCA compliance failures.

The PIL seeks:

• An independent judicial probe into the large-scale disruptions

• Immediate relief measures for stranded passengers

• Directions to the Centre to ensure basic amenities at airports

Regulator Steps Up Scrutiny

The DGCA has already issued show-cause notices to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and the airline’s accountable manager. On Monday, IndiGo filed a “highly guarded” response to the Centre, sources told India Today.

The crisis, which has crippled domestic aviation for a week, continues to spark significant regulatory, legal, and public scrutiny as passengers await clarity and resolution.