There is a stir in India’s aviation sector these days. Passengers’ anger is increasing after the massive flight cancellations that started on December 2. Meanwhile, DGCA has taken strict action and ordered IndiGo to reduce its flight schedule by 5%. This means that about 110 flights operating daily can now be allotted to other airlines, so that passengers can get relief.
Strict action against Indigo
DGCA says that IndiGo was facing continuous disruptions for the last several days due to new flight duty time (FDTL) rules and crew shortage. Cancellation of flights created chaos at airports and lakhs of passengers got stranded. DGCA has clearly told the airline to operate on a reduced schedule until its crew and operations become stable. According to official sources, the airline has been informed about this and a list of which flights will be reduced is being prepared.
Preparations to provide relief to passengers
DGCA wants airlines like Air India, Akasa Air and SpiceJet to fill the void created by IndiGo’s cut. Air India has even started installing wide-body planes on domestic routes, so that more and more passengers can travel. Besides, DGCA has also imposed control on fares. Tickets for up to 500 km can cost a maximum of ₹7,500 and for distances like 1,000-1,500 km can be as high as ₹15,000. This step will prevent wrongful charging of excess fare from passengers during the crisis.
Defense of Indigo and investigation of DGCA
In response to the DGCA notice, IndiGo said that the disruption was due to a combination of several reasons. These include technical difficulties, weather, congestion, winter schedule changes and new FDTL rules. The airline said that it was not possible to submit a complete report in such a short time and they have also sought time from DGCA. On the other hand, DGCA has constituted a team of four members, which will investigate IndiGo’s manpower plan, rostering and preparation of new rules.
Government warned
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said in Parliament that the government is not taking this matter lightly. If IndiGo’s negligence is proved, the accountable manager of the company may face three years in jail or a fine of up to ₹1 crore, or both. The Supreme Court also described it as a ‘serious matter’ and said that till now more than 5,000 flights have been canceled and more than 6 lakh passengers have been affected.
