IndiGo Flight Chaos: DGCA Launches Investigation
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is currently investigating significant disruptions at IndiGo, India’s largest airline. This investigation follows the cancellation of at least 38 flights at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) on a recent Wednesday. The DGCA has requested IndiGo to explain the reasons behind these widespread delays and cancellations and has asked the airline to present a plan to address the ongoing crisis.
Across the country, more than 150 IndiGo flights have been cancelled, causing considerable inconvenience for passengers. On that Wednesday, flights departing from IGIA faced an average delay of around 50 minutes, while arrivals were relatively smoother with an average delay of just 12 minutes. Such widespread disruption has raised serious concerns among travelers and regulatory bodies alike.
The root of these disruptions appears to stem from a combination of factors, primarily a crew shortage following the implementation of new crew rest and duty regulations. Additionally, technology-related issues and increased congestion at airports have exacerbated the situation, leading to cascading delays and further cancellations. IndiGo has acknowledged these challenges and stated that they are working to stabilize operations.
In a statement, IndiGo mentioned, “To contain the disruption and restore stability, we have initiated calibrated adjustments to our schedules.” These adjustments are expected to remain in place for the next 48 hours and may involve rescheduling and cancelling certain flights to align with crew availability. The airline is taking these steps in hopes of minimizing disruption for passengers.
However, pilot associations have criticized IndiGo for being ill-prepared for the new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules, despite having sufficient notice. The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA) highlighted that the disruptions reflect a failure in proactive resource planning among dominant airlines. In fact, there are concerns that flight delays and cancellations may be used to pressure regulators whenever rules do not favor the airlines.
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) also pointed out that the disruption is a direct result of IndiGo’s prolonged and unorthodox lean manpower strategy, particularly in flight operations. As the DGCA continues its investigation, the focus remains on ensuring that passenger inconvenience is minimized and that the airline industry adheres to necessary regulations to maintain smooth operations.
