CCI orders probe against IndiGo for flight cancellation chaos:The top govt body says IndiGo restricted consumers from flying during peak demand in December by cancelling flights

The top government body incharge of ensuring fair competition in India, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has ordered probe against country’s largest airline IndiGo for unfair business practices. By cancelling thousands of flights in December 2026, IndiGo effectively limited consumer access to air travel during peak demand, said the regulatory body. In a 16-page order, the commission said that by cancelling thousands of flights, IndiGo effectively withheld its services from the market, creating an artificial scarcity, limiting consumer access to air travel during peak demand. “Such conduct by a dominant enterprise may be viewed as restricting the provision of services under Section 4(2)(b)(i) of the Act,” the regulator said. Section 4 of the Competition Act pertains to abuse of dominant position.
Noting that prima-facie the airline s conduct seems to be causing an appreciable adverse effect on competition in India, CCI ordered a detailed investigation by its Director General (DG). In early December, IndiGo faced massive operational disruptions, and subsequently, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) curtailed the airline’s winter schedule by 10% until February 10 2026. How many flights were cancelled? The DGCA had said in a statement on January 20: IndiGo on Wednesday also announced adjusting its long-haul flight schedule, including suspending services to Copenhagen from February 17, due to external operational constraints. Besides, the airline will reduce flights on the Delhi-London Heathrow and Delhi Manchester routes.