While speaking in a parliamentary session on Monday, the Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu informed that IndiGo’s flight operations remained disrupted for the seventh day and the crisis was caused by “an operational issue” created by the airline.
No Issues IndiGo Reported After Failing To Maintain Pilot Roster
Aviation minister noted that IndiGo had failed to maintain its pilot roster despite having enough time to prepare for the new Flight Duty Time Limitation rules that took effect on November 1, in the Rajya Sabha.
The crisis occurred due to lapses in the airline’s “crew rostering and internal planning systems”, he added.
It won’t be an exaggeration to say that the country’s Air travel has been severely hit since December 2, owing to the shortage of pilots and crew which forced IndiGo to cancel and delay hundreds of flights.
The event has created a disruption which led to fares on several routes rising to unprecedented levels.
Interestingly these disruptions came amid the rollout of stricter work hour norms introduced in November.
Basically, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has revised rostering norms in January 2024 which were issued after concerns about pilot fatigue were meant to take effect on June 1.
Contrary to this, the airlines asked for delayed implementation because of staffing shortages and operational challenges, so they eventually introduced the key changes on November 1.
As per these new rules, they required longer weekly rest, restricted night landings, extended the definition of night hours and limited consecutive night duties.
In the meantime, the ministry had been closely monitoring the implementation of the revised norms for a full month and that “there has been no compromise” on ensuring compliance, said Naidu on Monday.
Situation Changed Raising A Sudden Issue
Moving ahead, the minister noted that they held a meeting with IndiGo on December 1, during which the airline sought clarifications that were provided, but “did not flag any issues then”, and operations appeared normal.
Further claiming that the situation changed “suddenly” on December 3, at which point the ministry “stepped in immediately” and took control of the situation.
The government had ordered an inquiry and intended to set “an example” for the aviation sector by taking strict action in the matter, Naidu said.
Moreover, media reported that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has granted IndiGo’s Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers and Chief Operating Officer Isidro Porqueras until 6 pm on Monday to respond to show-cause notices issued on Saturday.
The government encouraged greater competition and that they wanted “more players in the industry”, Naidu said on Monday, when IndiGo’s large share of the aviation market was raised in the Rajya Sabha.
Adding, “Today, India has a capacity of five big airlines and there has been an effort from the ministry to encourage more airlines.”
So far, IndiGo is a big player in the Indian aviation industry as it operates more than 2,000 flights daily and holds about 60% of the country’s civil aviation market domestically.
So, it was a disruption when 450 flights cancelled on Monday ,which was operated by IndiGo, were cancelled, reportedly.
SC – Urgent Hearing Not Required
More than 5.86 lakh passengers had been affected by the cancellations since December 2 and refunds worth Rs 569 crore had been issued so far, Naidu said while responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha.
In the meantime, the airline’s board had been meeting regularly since the crisis began and that a board-constituted Crisis Management Group, formed on Thursday, was holding daily meetings, the airline informed.
These group’s priorities include restoring full operational integrity, ensuring timely communication, completing refunds and rescheduling, and returning baggage to passengers.
Considering the news, the shares of InterGlobe Aviation, which is IndiGo’s parent company, fell 7.5% on Monday.
They were down by 15% since December 1, dropping from Rs 5,837 to Rs 4,970, as per the media report.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of the country on Monday declined a petition seeking urgent intervention in the IndiGo flight disruptions as the bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said the Union government had already taken cognisance of the situation and that immediate listing was not required.
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