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The high-level meeting called by the Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu to review IndiGo's ongoing operational disruptions concluded on Thursday, with top representatives from key aviation bodies present in the meeting.
Representatives from IndiGo, the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Air Traffic Control (ATC), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the Aviation Secretary participated in the meeting. The discussions were convened against the backdrop of severe passenger inconvenience nationwide, with hundreds of flights delayed, rescheduled, or cancelled over the past several days. Meanwhile, flight operations at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport were severely disrupted on Thursday as IndiGo cancelled a total of 150 flights, including 75 departures and 75 arrivals, spanning both domestic and international routes since morning, confirmed Delhi Airport. Earlier today, passengers across multiple airports on Thursday expressed strong frustration as IndiGo's nationwide operations remained severely disrupted, leaving many stranded with no clear communication or alternate travel options. At Hyderabad Airport, several travellers expressed their frustration. Santosh, a Hyderabad resident who needed to reach Chennai for a crucial meeting, described how the sudden delay derailed his plans. "I have to reach Chennai by morning at 11 tomorrow. My flight has been delayed... I am a frequent flier of IndiGo. This experience is really bad. It has disturbed my entire schedule. I have meetings lined up in Chennai. There has been no call or communication from IndiGo. I am checking the flight frequently and following news channels. Only then did I get to know that the flight had been delayed," Santosh said to ANI. Amid widespread flight disruptions, the Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) reiterated its concerns and called for tighter regulatory oversight. In a statement, ALPA India said, "The situation concerning the recent flight cancellations across India, allegedly attributed to pilot shortage due to new Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) norms, raises significant questions about the airline's management, regulatory oversight by the DGCA, and market fairness." Further highlighting issues of planning and compliance, the pilots' body added, "The core question is whether airlines' current pilot shortage is due to a failure in planning or a calculated strategy. It is more likely a combination of factors... This situation points to a failure of proactive resource planning by dominant airlines, potentially exacerbated by an effort to pressurise the regulator to dilute the promulgated FDTL norms for commercial gain." (ANI)
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