The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has ordered a detailed investigation against InterGlobe Aviation Limited (IndiGo) over allegations of abuse of its dominant position in the domestic aviation market, following large-scale flight cancellations and a steep surge in airfares in December 2025.
The direction, issued under Section 26(1) of the Competition Act, 2002, stems from a complaint filed by passenger Kartikeya Rawal, who alleged that IndiGo cancelled flights at short notice and subsequently charged significantly higher fares, leaving passengers with little or no alternative travel options.
Rejecting IndiGo’s preliminary objection on jurisdiction, the CCI held that the existence of sectoral regulation by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) does not bar the Commission from examining anti-competitive conduct. Relying on the Supreme Court’s ruling in Bharti Airtel Limited v. CCI, the Commission observed that competition law and sectoral regulation operate in distinct but complementary domains.
On a prima facie assessment, the CCI defined the relevant market as the market for domestic air passenger transport services in India and noted that IndiGo enjoys a dominant position, with over 60% market share in passenger traffic and capacity, along with exclusive operations on more than 330 routes.
The Commission observed that the cancellation of over 2,500 flights and delays affecting more than three lakh passengers during the period may have created artificial scarcity, enabling the airline to impose unfair prices and restrict services. It held that such conduct warrants investigation for possible violations of Sections 4(2)(a)(i) and 4(2)(b)(i) of the Act.
Accordingly, the CCI has directed the Director General to conduct an investigation and submit a report within 90 days, clarifying that its findings are prima facie and not a final determination on the merits of the case.
