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New Delhi: In the aftermath of the recent operational disruptions faced by IndiGo, the Union Civil Aviation Ministry has operationalised a 24×7 Passenger Assistance Control Room (PACR) to ensure faster, coordinated and real-time resolution of air travellers’ complaints.
The PACR became functional on December 10, soon after large-scale delays, cancellations and passenger inconvenience were reported during IndiGo’s network disruptions, compounded by fog-related operational challenges at several airports. The control room brings together officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), airlines and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) under one roof. Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha said the step was taken to avoid fragmented responses and to provide a single, coordinated platform for grievance redressal. “Following the IndiGo disruptions, we felt the need for a structured and systematic mechanism rather than ad-hoc interventions. The PACR has significantly improved response time and coordination,” he said.
According to the ministry, passenger complaints related to flight delays, cancellations, refunds, lost baggage and onboard service issues — received through AirSewa, social media and helplines — are now being centrally monitored and prioritised through the PACR. “More than 13,000 passenger grievances have already been resolved through close monitoring and real-time coordination at the control room,” Sinha added.
Airline representatives stationed at the PACR said the IndiGo crisis triggered a surge in complaints, particularly related to refunds and missed connections, but the centralised system helped resolve most issues within 72 hours. Executives from IndiGo, SpiceJet, Air India Express and Akasa Air acknowledged that the presence of regulators and airport authorities at one location has reduced delays in decision-making.
Ministry officials said the IndiGo episode highlighted systemic gaps in handling large-scale disruptions and reinforced the need for a permanent, round-the-clock mechanism. The PACR, they said, will remain operational to manage future crises, peak travel seasons and weather-related disruptions, with the aim of restoring passenger confidence and improving accountability across India’s aviation ecosystem.
