The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Saturday issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers, holding him accountable for the airline’s ongoing operational crisis.

The regulator has asked Elbers to explain, within 24 hours, the “spiralling delays, cancellations and operational breakdowns” that have affected IndiGo flights across the country.

The DGCA warned that failure to respond could lead to punitive action under the Aircraft Rules and Civil Aviation Requirements.

The notice stated that Elbers “failed in your duty to ensure timely arrangements for conduct of reliable operations and the availability of requisite facilities to the passengers.”

It further directed him to “show cause within 24 hours of receipt of this notice as to why appropriate enforcement action should not be initiated against you” for the alleged violations.

The show-cause notice comes amid a surge in cancellations and delays that have crippled IndiGo’s network, with over 850 flights cancelled in a single day.

Passengers at multiple airports have reported long queues, missed connections, and baggage-related issues as the airline struggles to restore normal operations.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has intervened, instructing IndiGo to clear all pending refunds by Sunday and to reunite separated baggage within 48 hours. The airline has also been asked to set up dedicated passenger-support and refund-facilitation cells to address grievances and provide real-time updates to affected travellers.