"No parallel proceedings," SC refuses plea over Indigo crisis

The Supreme Court today refused to entertain a petition highlighting the crisis caused by cancellation and delays in flights of Indigo airline. 

A Chief Justice of India Surya Kant led bench noting that the matter is already pending consideration before the High Court refused to allow parallel proceedings before the Supreme Court.

"Instead of parallel proceedings, you go to High Court," the bench also comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M Pancholi said.

The Delhi High Court on December 10, 2025 pulled up the Central government over the large-scale disruption of IndiGo flights, asking how the situation was allowed to deteriorate to the point where thousands of passengers were left stranded at airports across the country. A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela made the observation while hearing a public interest litigation seeking relief for affected passengers. The plea has urged the Union government to ensure adequate ground support as well as timely refunds amid the airline’s operational breakdown.

The Centre and the DGCA have told the high court that the existing regulatory framework was fully operational, and that a show-cause notice had been served on IndiGo, which has since issued an unconditional apology.

Recently, Supreme Court had also declined an urgent hearing on a plea seeking suo motu intervention over the nationwide disruption caused by massive flight delays and cancellations of Indigo Airlines, noting that the Union government has already taken cognisance of the crisis.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant acknowledged the scale of the disruption but refused to treat it as an emergency warranting immediate court directions. “It is a serious matter. Lakhs of people are stranded at airports. We are aware that there may be health issues and other hardships,” the CJI observed adding that “But the Government of India has already taken timely action and cognisance of the issue. There is no urgency".

The said plea by Advocate Aman Banka, highlights what it describes as a “nationwide aviation collapse” disproportionately affecting lakhs of passengers and raising serious concerns under Article 21 of the Constitution. The representation points specifically to disruptions allegedly linked to Indigo Airlines, which commands nearly 60 percent of India’s aviation market. According to the plea, the sudden cancellations, operational breakdowns, and lack of transparent communication have created a crisis that has crippled essential public services and exposed deep systemic vulnerabilities in the regulatory framework.

Calling air travel a “vital public infrastructure” rather than a mere commercial luxury, the petitioner outlines the cascading impact on critical sectors, beginning with healthcare. Many passengers rely on timed flight connections for organ transplant procedures, emergency surgeries, follow-up medical care, and consultations with specialists. Hospitals have reportedly documented missed operations, delayed treatment, and emotional trauma for patients and their families, all caused by last-minute cancellations.

Beyond economic harm, the plea highlights the profound personal distress citizens have endured. Travellers have missed funerals, deliveries, weddings, and other life events of irreplaceable emotional significance. The petitioner states that the “dignity of citizens stands compromised” when they are abandoned at airports without reliable information, adequate support, or meaningful redress.

Strong criticism is directed at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The petitioner terms their response “delayed, ineffective, and lacking contingency planning”, arguing that regulatory bodies failed to anticipate or prevent a large-scale disruption despite Indigo’s critical market dominance. The silence of authorities amid widespread public suffering, the plea contends, amounts to administrative inaction.

Case Title: NARENDRA MISHRA Vs UNION OF INDIA

Bench: CJI Kant, Justice Bagchi, Justice Pancholi

Date: December 15, 2025