The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo’s chief executive Peiter Elbers after a slew of flight cancellations in the past week disrupted air travel for thousands of passengers in India.
The DGCA show cause notice cited lapses in planning and resource management by IndiGo, which is India’s largest airline and operated by InterGlobe Aviation.
IndiGo attributed the flight disruptions and cancellations to unforeseen operational challenges, including minor technology glitches, schedule changes linked to the winter season, adverse weather conditions, increased congestion in the aviation system and the implementation of updated crew rostering rules (flight duty time limitations [FDTL]).
The new FDTL circular was released in January 2024 and aimed to address pilot fatigue bringing them in line with international practices established in the US and European Union. The DGCA granted IndiGo a one-time exemption from some of the updated FDTL requirements to allow resumption of its operations.
The government has issued multiple measures to assist passengers, including fast refunds and preventing other airlines from adding a surcharge on their airfares.
The government-run Indian Railways has also launched special train services and added extra coaches to existing trains to meet the growing demand for travel amid the flight cancellations. Busy routes between the cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Kolkata and Hyderabad take priority, with other cities included.
The Indian government has also ordered an inquiry to investigate what went wrong at IndiGo, determine accountability and take appropriate action, recommend measures and prevent similar disruptions in the future.
