Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Wednesday delivered a stern warning to IndiGo over the recent turmoil in its operations, asserting that the revised pilot and crew rostering rules under the new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms were “non-negotiable” and assuring that strict action would be taken against any airline that disrupts passenger services.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha amid opposition sloganeering, Naidu said the situation at airports was gradually improving but made it clear that the government would not tolerate operational failures. “IndiGo disruptions are stabilising… No airline, however large, will be permitted to cause such hardship to passengers through planning failures, non-compliance or non-adherence to statutory provisions,” he said.
500 IndiGo Flights Cancelled as Chaos Enters Second Week
The warning came as nearly 500 IndiGo flights were cancelled on Tuesday, marking the second consecutive week of large-scale disruptions. While the scale of cancellations was lower than last week’s peak, airport terminals across the country continued to witness chaotic scenes and passenger distress.
As pressure mounted, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) stepped in and granted IndiGo a temporary exemption from stricter night duty rules for pilots under the newly implemented FDTL norms.
ALSO READ: Govt imposes airfare caps as airlines try to cash in on IndiGo crisis
However, the decision triggered widespread criticism, with several aviation experts accusing the Centre of caving in to pressure from IndiGo, which currently controls nearly two-thirds of India’s domestic aviation market.
₹750 Crore in Refunds Processed, Probe Underway
Naidu informed Parliament that refunds, baggage tracing and passenger support measures are being closely monitored by the ministry, and that a detailed investigation into the disruption is currently underway.
He added that IndiGo has already processed ₹750 crore in passenger refunds, signalling the scale of the financial fallout caused by the operational chaos.
Centre Pushes for New Airlines After ‘Duopoly Risk’ Exposed
Referring to India’s current aviation market structure, the minister said the IndiGo crisis had exposed the risks of a duopoly-like situation. At present, IndiGo holds a 65% share of the domestic market, while Air India controls about 27%.
ALSO READ: ‘Elections will be announced right after final voter list in February’, Mamata; here’s why she thinks it will happen
Naidu said the government was actively encouraging new airlines to enter the market to ensure greater competition and system resilience. “Safety in civil aviation is completely non-negotiable. The government is determined to build a robust and competitive aviation ecosystem,” he stated.
IndiGo Blames Technical Issues, Weather and FDTL Challenges
In its response to a showcause notice issued by aviation regulators, IndiGo claimed that the disruptions were caused by a combination of technical glitches, winter schedule transitions, adverse weather conditions, rising system congestion, and implementation challenges linked to the FDTL rules.
The airline has also been directed to cut its planned flight operations by 5% as part of regulatory measures aimed at restoring stability.
