IndiGo faces DGCA probe as Govt vows ‘very strict’ action over disruptions
The government warned of strict action after mass flight cancellations triggered by delayed pilot rest rule compliance.
A file image of an IndiGo flight mid-air. (Photo: PTI)
Guwahati, Dec 9: The government plans to take strict action against IndiGo to “set an example” for airlines that violate regulations, the Civil Aviation Minister said on Monday, as the country’s largest carrier added more flights as its operations limp back to normalcy following a week of widespread flight cancellations.
IndiGo, whose delayed preparation for stricter pilot rest rules triggered last week’s wave of cancellations, operated 1,800 flights on Monday, up from around 1,650 on Sunday. At the peak of disruptions, more than two-thirds of its roughly 2,300 daily flights were grounded on December 5.
The sector regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which had previously issued a show cause notice to IndiGo CEO to explain the disruptions, set up a four-member panel to probe the matter.
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and COO Isidre Porqueras filed a “comprehensive” reply to DGCA show cause notices before the extended deadline expired on Monday evening, airline sources said.
IndiGo did not reply to an email sent for comments.
Meanwhile, a DGCA statement said it has received IndiGo’s response to its show cause notice.
IndiGo, the statement said, is “profusely” apologetic and deeply regrets the inconvenience and hardship caused to customers. The regulator also said that it is in the process of examining IndiGo’s response and will take appropriate enforcement action.
The DGCA panel will assess manpower planning, fluctuating rostering system and airline’s preparedness to implement the latest duty period and rest norms of pilots, sources said, adding that Elbers and Porqueras have been asked to appear before it on December 10.
It will also review the extent of compliance of the Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules, which were communicated to the industry more than a year in advance. It would analyse gaps as well as fix accountability.
Following mass cancellations, the government had given a temporary exemption from the rules until February 10, 2026.
The Phase 2 FDTL regulations, introduced on November 1, 2025, classify any duty between midnight and 6 am as night duty and reduce permissible landings within 24 hours from six to two or three. While intended to improve safety and manage crew fatigue, the rules are among the strictest globally.
Without additional hiring in the ultra-optimised airline, the new rules led to pilot shortages for IndiGo, which controls over 65 per cent market share. Tens of thousands of passengers were stranded as IndiGo’s flight cancellations upended vacation plans and weddings, sparking growing anger over delays and lost luggage.
“We are not taking this situation lightly. We are doing an inquiry and will take very, very strict action... we will set an example for all the other airlines,” Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said in reply to questions in the Rajya Sabha.
PTI