NEW DELHI, Dec 8: Facing flak from all sides, IndiGo offered profuse apologies and deep regret for the massive disarray and defended itself saying there was a “compounding effect of multiple factors” leading to an “unfortunate and unforeseeable” situation.
In its response to Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), it said given the complexity and vast scale of operations, it was not “realistically not possible to pinpoint the exact causes” immediately and requested additional time to conduct a comprehensive probe.
But Opposition parties were unsparing. Expressing concern over the liberty taken by other airlines cashing on passengers plight in hiking the fares, the Left parties, CPI and CPI (M), have called for an independent inquiry, by the Supreme Court or a Joint Parliamentary Committee into the nationwide air travel crisis which saw thousands of flights cancelled, many more delayed and disrupted travel plans of tens of thousands of citizens.
In Parliament, Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu warned that strict action will be taken against airlines to “set an example” for others following a week-long disruption and chaos at India’s airports with flights cancelled and delayed caused by a change in rules and shortage of pilots,
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, the Naidu said the chaos that resulted in thousands of flight cancellations and tens of thousands of stranded passengers stemmed from IndiGo’s “internal crisis” following the implementation of the new passenger safety norms.
“We care about pilots, crew, and passengers, and we have communicated this clearly to all airlines. IndiGo was responsible for managing its crew and roster. Passengers suffered significant inconvenience, and we are not treating this matter lightly.
“We will take strict action and set an example for every airline. Any non-compliance will lead to action,” he said while speaking on the issue. He added that the government has launched a thorough inquiry into the incident.
The minister added that the government is keen to see more competitors in the aviation sector, noting that India has the capacity to support five major airlines.
The Opposition, however, was dissatisfied with his response and staged a walkout, claiming that the entire episode, which threw the travel industry into a tizzy could have been avoided with proper planning and oversight.
Reacting in Kolkata, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Central government over the ongoing flight disruptions. “I have never seen such paralysis. This is a disaster,” she said, demanding compensation for all affected passengers.
Naidu’s comments in the upper house of parliament came after several days of turmoil, confusion, and distress at airports nationwide, where thousands of IndiGo flights were cancelled, disrupting weddings, vacations, and work commitments.
At the centre of the disruption were flight safety regulations introduced by the government nearly two years ago. Designed to address pilot fatigue, a significant factor in aviation accidents, the rules increased mandatory rest periods for flight crew. Their rollout required airlines to expand their pilot workforce.
IndiGo, the largest airline in India, which operates about 2,300 flights a day and has long prioritised minimising crew downtime, faced a shortage of staff once the new rules took effect, for which the airline had apparently not planned when required.
However, Indigo’s shares have declined from 5,796 on December 2 to 4,907 on December 8, marking a sharp drop of over 15 per cent.
As the situation worsened, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the country’s aviation regulator, temporarily eased the new norms.
The IndiGo crisis also led the Opposition to highlight the duopolistic structure of India’s civil aviation sector, dominated by IndiGo and Air India. The government, in response, stated that it has consistently promoted the entry of new players into the industry.
At Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, luggage continued to pile up as cancellations and delays stretched into another day.
Passengers described scenes of confusion and long queues as more than 500 flights were cancelled on Monday alone.
Delhi and Bengaluru were the worst affected, each logging more than 100 cancellations.
The Supreme Court on Monday, however, declined to grant an urgent hearing on petitions related to the chaos, noting that the Centre had already taken cognisance of the situation and initiated steps to address it.
Amid soaring airfares caused by reduced capacity, the Ministry of Civil Aviation announced a temporary price cap on Saturday to protect passengers from sharp spikes in ticket prices.
Under the government’s directive, fares for routes under 500 km have been capped at Rs 7,500, those between 500 and 1,000 km at Rs 12,000, those between 1,000 and 1,500 km at Rs 15,000, and those above 1,500 km at Rs 18,000.
The move has sparked concern among travellers and operators who fear these limits may become a benchmark for pricing even after the crisis subsides.
As IndiGo works to repair its schedules and restore normal operations which it promises will be in place by December 10, the airline faces mounting pressure from passengers, regulators and the broader aviation industry.
The full impact of the rostering failure, and the scramble that followed, may take days to fully unravel, even as the country’s largest carrier attempts to regain stability. (UNI)
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