The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has mandated prominent Indian airlines to provide detailed airfare data following unprecedented travel disruptions in December. The regulatory action comes at the request of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), which is probing the widespread flight disruptions that hit air travel nationwide.

December Flight Crisis and Market Impact

The disruptions were primarily triggered by pilot shortages at InterGlobe Aviation , which dominates India's aviation market with approximately 65.00% share. The airline was forced to cancel around 4,500 flights in December, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and causing significant travel chaos across the country.

DGCA's Data Collection Initiative

The DGCA has written to multiple airlines requesting average fares charged during the disruption period. According to sources, the data will help the competition watchdog examine fare trends across airlines during the disruption window. The investigation targets major carriers including InterGlobe Aviation, Air India, SpiceJet, and Akasa.

Government Intervention and Fare Regulation

During the crisis, fares of certain airlines surged significantly, prompting immediate government intervention. The Centre was compelled to impose temporary fare caps as an emergency measure to protect passengers from exploitative pricing during the travel chaos.

Ongoing CCI Investigation

The CCI announced in December that it was proceeding against InterGlobe Aviation to assess whether the airline had abused its dominant market position during the disruptions. The competition watchdog is examining potential market abuse practices during the operational crisis.

InterGlobe Aviation has not commented on the ongoing investigation. The regulatory scrutiny highlights the challenges of maintaining fair market practices during operational disruptions in India's concentrated aviation sector.

Interglobe Aviation 's IndiGo is set to make aviation history as the first Indian airline to induct the Airbus A321 XLR aircraft into its fleet. The milestone aircraft is expected to land in India after 3:00 PM on Wednesday, marking a significant achievement for the domestic aviation sector and reinforcing the airline's ambitious international expansion strategy.

Fleet Expansion and Deployment Strategy

Following the successful induction of its first A321 XLR aircraft, IndiGo has confirmed plans to add one more A321 XLR by the end of the current financial year. The aircraft will initially be deployed on long-haul routes connecting Delhi and Mumbai to Athens, demonstrating the airline's strategic push into medium-haul international markets.

Strategic Global Expansion Vision

Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers emphasized that IndiGo is advancing to the next phase of its strategy to become a major global airline after a year of accelerated network expansion. "Having earlier laid the building blocks of our strategy – Towards New Heights and Across New Frontiers, the year 2025 witnessed IndiGo taking big strides in the execution of our strategy and advancing to the next phase to become a major airline of global scale," he stated.

Operational Performance and Growth Metrics

The airline's expansion comes amid impressive operational achievements. IndiGo expects to close the calendar year 2025 with over 12.30 crore customers, representing an addition of over one crore compared to the previous year. The carrier currently operates over 2,200 flights per day, flying more than 10.00 lakh customers every three days.

Market Positioning and Future Outlook

The A321 XLR induction represents a crucial step in IndiGo's transformation into a global carrier. The extended-range capabilities of this aircraft enable the airline to offer enhanced operational range while maintaining narrow-body efficiency. This development positions IndiGo to capitalize on growing demand for medium-haul international connectivity and establishes new benchmarks for India's aviation industry.