The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a public interest litigation (PIL) aimed at directing the Centre and IndiGo airline to pay four times the full ticket price as compensation to passengers affected by flight cancellations in November and December. These disruptions followed the introduction of new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms.
The Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, clarified that the court had already acknowledged the issue in a separate pending PIL. The bench encouraged the petitioner to seek intervention in that existing case.
“We do not see any reason as to why the concerns raised here cannot be taken up in the earlier petition. The jurisprudence developed by the Supreme Court and High Courts around PILs permits the court to expand the scope of a petition in public interest,” the Bench stated.
“We decline to entertain this petition with liberty to the petitioner to seek intervention in the pending petition. The writ petition stands disposed of,” the court said while dictating its order.
This PIL emerged from concerns articulated by the Centre for Accountability and Systemic Change (CASC), filed by its president, Prof Vikram Singh. The petitioner highlighted that the IndiGo flight cancellations had triggered widespread anxiety throughout the aviation sector. The plea argued that sudden disruptions and last-minute cancellations of thousands of flights caused significant inconvenience to stranded passengers.
Advocate Virag Gupta, representing the petitioner, explained that airports experienced chaos due to misdirected baggage, prolonged delays, inadequate communication from the airline, and confusion surrounding refund and re-booking options.
The PIL also requested an independent enquiry led by a retired judge or the Lokpal to investigate alleged negligence and lapses by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in exacerbating the crisis.
Previously, on December 10, the Delhi High Court had scrutinized the Central Government for its delayed responses to address the issues caused by IndiGo’s extensive flight cancellations. The court interrogated why the situation escalated, leaving a large number of passengers stranded while other airlines reportedly imposed exorbitant fares.
This commentary arose during another PIL aimed at prompting the Centre to offer assistance and refunds to passengers impacted by the cancellation of numerous IndiGo flights. Currently, IndiGo faces considerable criticism from both government authorities and passengers following a wave of cancellations commencing on December 2. The airline cited regulatory adjustments concerning pilots’ duty time and rest protocols under the revised FDTL framework as the reason for the cancellations.
Passenger frustration mounts as the aviation sector grapples with these challenges, with many urging regulatory bodies to enhance oversight and ensure stronger consumer protection policies. The recent developments in the Delhi High Court shed light on the need for better accountability within the aviation industry—an industry already under scrutiny due to ongoing operational challenges.
