IndiGo Investigates Flight Cancellations Crisis
IndiGo is currently facing a significant operational crisis, leading to widespread flight cancellations that have left many passengers stranded. The airline's chairman, Vikram Singh Mehta, recently addressed this issue in a video message, where he expressed regret and promised a thorough investigation into the matter.
Mehta acknowledged that an unexpected chain of events on December 3 initiated these disruptions, resulting in thousands of flight cancellations. He emphasized that the board of directors will examine every aspect of this operational failure, bringing in external technical experts to assist IndiGo's management in identifying the root causes.
In recent days, IndiGo has struggled to adapt to new fatigue-duty time limits for pilots, leading to significant operational challenges. Although the airline managed to stabilize operations by December 5, nearly 220 flights were still canceled across major hubs like Delhi and Mumbai on December 6.
During the address, Mehta apologized to customers, acknowledging that the airline had not met their expectations. He stated that while some criticism may have been unfair, the core complaint regarding the airline's failure to serve its passengers was justified. He also rejected claims that the airline had engineered the crisis or compromised safety to circumvent pilot fatigue rules.
According to Mehta, the disruptions were not intentional but resulted from a combination of internal and external factors. These included minor technical issues, changes in the winter schedule, adverse weather conditions, system-wide congestion, and the implementation of updated crew rostering norms. He noted that while other airlines faced similar external pressures, they managed to maintain relatively stable operations.
Mehta further explained that the company's risk management committee had been monitoring the situation for months, and a crisis management team had been meeting daily to address the issues as they arose. He admitted that the company made errors during this period and that there is no denying this fact.
In response to the widespread inconvenience faced by passengers, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has formed an oversight team. Furthermore, IndiGo's CEO, Pieter Elbers, has been summoned to provide a full report to the aviation regulator, detailing the disruptions and the measures being taken to rectify the situation.
