The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has requested information from IndiGo Airlines amid an ongoing probe into potential abuse of dominance, according to Business Standard sources. The investigation aims to determine whether the airline engaged in exploitative practices that caused widespread consumer inconvenience, particularly through steep fare hikes following recent flight cancellations. Under the Competition Act, abuse of dominance may involve exclusionary or exploitative conduct, with the focus in this case expected to be on the latter.
A consumer complaint highlighted an instance where a ticket had to be booked at nearly 2.5 times the original fare after cancellations. While the CCI will consider such complaints, its evaluation will emphasise broader market impact rather than isolated cases. Sources noted that restricting supply and raising prices could violate Section 4 of the Competition Act, which penalises exploitation of a dominant position.
The airline had cancelled over 4,200 flights between December 1–9 due to challenges in pilot duty rosters after the DGCA enforced stricter rest norms. The CCI may initiate a detailed investigation depending on its preliminary assessment.
