Flight cancellations by IndiGo have now hit lawmakers, Aam Admi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha said on Friday. Claiming that the aviation watchdog should conduct a proper audit before implementing FDTL rules, Chadha said the mammoth disruption has also affected MPs who are unable to return to their constituencies to attend scheduled programs over the weekend.
“This is a never before situation due to which thousands of passengers are affected today. …IndiGo has almost 70% market share. If such a big airline shuts down, passengers are obviously facing a lot of problems.. DGCA should have done a proper audit before introducing the regulatory force..,” ANI quoted Raghav Chadha as saying.
How did the chaos unfold?
What started as a single day of cancellations and delays has now grown into a four-day saga. Over the course of this week, 20-year-old domestic carrier IndiGo has seen an increasing number of flight cancellations and delays across its network at major airports in India.
Passengers reported delays since December 2 and service disruptions continued today, December 5, with PTI reporting at least 400 canceled flights across the country’s airports.
IndiGo crisis reaches Parliament
On Friday, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari raised the issue of operational disruptions and flight cancellations by IndiGo in the upper house, attributing them to a “monopoly” in the aviation sector.
Addressing the Rajya Sabha, Tiwari urged Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu to respond to Parliament and pointed out that several MPs may have to return to their hometowns over the weekend when there is no session schedule.
Why the cancellations, delays?
According to Indigo – she had difficulty planning the schedule due to government crew safety regulations. IndiGo operates about 2,300 domestic and international flights daily. A source told PTI that airlines are facing crew shortage due to the new implementation of Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) from November 1.
When will IndiGo services resume?
In response to DGCA’s investigation, IndiGo has ensured full restoration of stable operations by February 10. On Thursday, the budget carrier also told the DGCA that the cancellations will continue for the next 2-3 days as part of efforts to stabilize the timetable.
The DGCA said it will closely monitor ticket prices as IndiGo rushes to resolve its scheduling problem.
On Thursday, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers also sent a letter to employees acknowledging that the airline had “failed its promise” to provide its customers with a smooth and enjoyable flying experience.
