IndiGo, one of India’s largest airline, has been fined Rs 1 lakh by the Bureau of Immigration for alleged visa-related violations. This development has been disclosed in a regulatory filing by InterGlobe Aviation, the parent company of IndiGo. Despite the fine, InterGlobe Aviation assured that there would be no significant impact on the company’s financials, operations, or other activities due to this penalty.
The Bureau of Immigration, which operates under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs, imposed the penalty. According to the filing, IndiGo received the communication regarding the fine on June 11. However, specific details about the nature of the visa-related violations have not been disclosed.
In the regulatory filing, InterGlobe Aviation explained the delay in disclosing this information to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). The company stated that it was exploring the possibilities of filing an appeal against the Bureau of Immigration’s order. This indicates that IndiGo might challenge the penalty, although no further details on the potential appeal have been provided.
Despite this penalty, IndiGo has maintained that there will be no material impact on its financial health or day-to-day operations. The company has assured stakeholders that its business activities will continue as usual, without any disruptions caused by this fine. The fine imposed by the Bureau of Immigration is a reminder of the stringent regulatory environment in which airlines operate. Compliance with visa and immigration regulations is critical, and any lapses can lead to penalties.
On the operations front, some IndiGo passengers missed their connecting flight from Lucknow to Varanasi on Tuesday because their incoming flight was delayed due to operational reasons. The airline has apologized for the inconvenience caused. In a statement, IndiGo said that affected passengers were provided with refreshments and given options to travel on the next available flight, with hotel accommodation in Lucknow, or to continue their journey via surface transport, which was promptly arranged. The delay involved flight 6E 518 from Dehradun to Lucknow, which caused some customers to miss their connecting flight 6E 7741 from Lucknow to Varanasi. IndiGo expressed deep apologies for the disruption to their customers’ travel plans.
