IndiGo, India’s largest carrier, has issued an email advisory offering compensation vouchers to thousands of passengers hit by a wave of delays and cancellations between 7–10 December 2025. The ‘Gesture of Care’ (GoC) package, announced 3 January 2026, provides flight-credit coupons whose value depends on the length of delay and sector flown. Customers must apply via a dedicated web form, submitting booking details and proof of disruption within 30 days.
The move follows a barrage of social-media complaints and a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) show-cause notice that threatened penalties for operational lapses during the peak wedding-season rush. Mobility teams struggled to re-book critical employee travel last month, often paying last-minute fares on rival airlines at triple the cost.
Under the scheme, affected domestic passengers are eligible for vouchers worth ₹2 500–₹5 000, while international passengers can claim USD 75–150 equivalents. Vouchers are non-transferable but can be used for travel until 31 December 2026, providing flexibility for project teams rescheduling site visits. However, the carrier has barred claims related to weather diversions or air-traffic-control delays.
![IndiGo rolls out ‘Gesture of Care’ vouchers after December disruption chaos]()
For cross-border itineraries that now need rapid reshuffling, VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) can step in by streamlining visa procurement, offering digital application tools, real-time status tracking and dedicated support—helpful when IndiGo’s vouchers solve only part of the travel puzzle.
Corporate travel managers should note that the compensation is issued to the ticketed passenger, not the paying company—meaning enterprises will need internal processes to recover or reallocate credits if employees change roles or exit. Travel-policy experts suggest updating SOPs to capture voucher data in expense systems to avoid leakage.
The episode reignites debate over India’s passenger-rights framework: industry bodies are calling for an EU-style regulation that mandates automatic cash compensation rather than discretionary vouchers. The DGCA is expected to conclude its inquiry by mid-January; any further sanctions could influence carrier behaviour ahead of the summer-schedule rollout.
The move follows a barrage of social-media complaints and a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) show-cause notice that threatened penalties for operational lapses during the peak wedding-season rush. Mobility teams struggled to re-book critical employee travel last month, often paying last-minute fares on rival airlines at triple the cost.
Under the scheme, affected domestic passengers are eligible for vouchers worth ₹2 500–₹5 000, while international passengers can claim USD 75–150 equivalents. Vouchers are non-transferable but can be used for travel until 31 December 2026, providing flexibility for project teams rescheduling site visits. However, the carrier has barred claims related to weather diversions or air-traffic-control delays.
For cross-border itineraries that now need rapid reshuffling, VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) can step in by streamlining visa procurement, offering digital application tools, real-time status tracking and dedicated support—helpful when IndiGo’s vouchers solve only part of the travel puzzle.
Corporate travel managers should note that the compensation is issued to the ticketed passenger, not the paying company—meaning enterprises will need internal processes to recover or reallocate credits if employees change roles or exit. Travel-policy experts suggest updating SOPs to capture voucher data in expense systems to avoid leakage.
The episode reignites debate over India’s passenger-rights framework: industry bodies are calling for an EU-style regulation that mandates automatic cash compensation rather than discretionary vouchers. The DGCA is expected to conclude its inquiry by mid-January; any further sanctions could influence carrier behaviour ahead of the summer-schedule rollout.
