India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, has fined IndiGo 220 million rupees ($2.4 million) for its December flight cancellations. The DGCA also reprimanded the airline's executives for their handling of the operational meltdown, which disrupted travel for thousands of passengers during a peak holiday period.

The penalty follows a widespread disruption in December where IndiGo canceled hundreds of flights, primarily due to technical issues and crew shortages. Such operational failures draw intense regulatory scrutiny in India's fast-growing aviation market, where passenger rights and airline reliability are increasingly under the microscope.

This fine signals a stricter enforcement stance from the DGCA, which has previously warned airlines about service standards. For IndiGo, a dominant carrier in the region, the penalty is a financial and reputational hit as it works to restore traveler confidence and avoid future sanctions.