Expect normalcy to restore from Dec 10, says IndiGo as Civil Aviation Ministry calls out airline mismanagement amid historic fiasco

Even as the Civil Aviation Ministry's priority remains to restore normalcy, IndiGo CEO Peter Elbers categorically stated that things are expected to return to normal between December 10 and 15.

"December 5 was the most severely impacted day, with the number of cancellations well over 1000. I extend our sincerest apologies for the inconvenience it has caused to our customers. It will take some time to return to a full normal situation, which we do anticipate between 10-15 December," Elbers said in a video message.

IndiGo requested passengers to note that earlier in the day, its flights from Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR Airport) to Mumbai and Delhi were also cancelled until 23:59 hours on December 5.

The discontent among passengers stranded at airports across the country is increasing by the second, with heated arguments with airline authorities becoming a common sight. A spat broke out between stranded passengers and staff at the Mumbai airport amid the ongoing IndiGo's nationwide flight disruption.

As this happened, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu held IndiGo's mismanagement regarding its crew, with respect to the new flight duty time limitation (FDTL) regulations issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), responsible for the disruption of its operations, leading to severe delays and congestion at the major airports across the country.

Speaking to ANI, the Minister said the events that have unfolded in major airports led the Civil Aviation Ministry to grant IndiGo a certain abeyance from FDTL norms to ensure normalcy and aid stranded passengers.

"From November 1, the DGCA came up with new FDTL (flight duty time limitation) regulations. The Ministry also initiated a continuous engagement process with the airlines for at least 6 months. Previously, there was no issue regarding the new FDTL norm. Other airlines, including Air India and Spice Jet, have adjusted. However, what has unfolded is due to mismanagement by IndiGo regarding its crew. We have given certain abeyance regarding FDTL norms to IndiGo to ensure normalcy," Naidu said.

IndiGo CEO Elbers said the FDTL implementation relief was a great help in ensuring normalcy returns. "We are truly sorry, and we will take care," IndiGo said in a statement.

Naidu, however, said a committee has been formed to look into the disruption and inquire where things went wrong. Whoever is responsible for the present situation needs to pay for it, he added.

"Since we have observed this only with IndiGo, we have formed a committee which will inquire into all this so that they can establish where things went wrong and who did it wrong. We will take the necessary action on that as well. This thing shouldn't be left unattended. We are taking strict action on this, so that whoever was responsible for this needs to pay for it," Naidu said.

IndiGo's dominant market share of almost 70 per cent has raised concerns about a monopoly. The recent cancellation of over 500 flights has stranded thousands of passengers, sparking outrage in Parliament.

The DGCA has attributed the disruptions to IndiGo's "misjudgment and gap in planning" in implementing new pilot duty-hour regulations. The centre has directed airlines to implement measures to resolve the disruptions and ensure passenger refunds.

IndiGo has been granted a one-time exemption from the DGCA's pilot night duty rules until February 10, 2026. This exemption allows IndiGo to bypass stricter flight duty and rest period norms, specifically those related to night duty between 0000 and 0650 hours and to night operations. The DGCA has also withdrawn the rule that restricted airlines from counting pilot leave as weekly rest.

The exemption is aimed at stabilising IndiGo's operations and reducing passenger disruptions caused by the airline's pilot staffing crunch. However, the Airlines' Pilots Association (ALPA) of India has criticised the decision, arguing that it sets a dangerous precedent and undermines established safety regulations.

In Odisha's Bhubaneswar, a passenger travelling with a differently-abled child and a senior citizen said that IndiGo's customer care was unreachable, while fares with other airlines had increased.

"We are travelling with a differently abled kid and a senior citizen. The IndiGo customer care number is not working. The prices of other flight tickets have increased. If tickets have to be cancelled, they are showing non-refundable," he said.

A large number of passengers faced inconvenience across the country, as IndiGo flights faced delays and cancellations. Amid the ongoing issue, a passenger scheduled to reach Bengaluru from Jodhpur Airport shared that the airline has been unresponsive since morning.

"No one from IndiGo is providing any answers. We have been standing here since morning. I have been standing here since morning. I have to reach Bengaluru urgently by evening. I am worried," he said.

In another incident, a passenger at the Biju Patnaik International Airport in Odisha shared her ordeal, stating that, even after spending three hours at the airport, she was not given any clarification on her flight status.

"My flight from Bhubaneswar to Bengaluru was scheduled for December 5. I had a flight to Vietnam from Bengaluru. This crisis began on December 3. I reached here yesterday to ask about my flight schedule. I spent three hours here asking them about my flight status, but they said they don't know," she said.

"Yesterday, they had flights to Bengaluru. I requested them to accommodate me on one of their flights to Bengaluru so I could catch my international flight to Vietnam from there. But they did not accommodate even one seat for me. We did not have the option to travel by road because the distance between Bhubaneswar and Bengaluru takes 25-26 hours to cover. No one is listening to anything. There is just one staff member, and they have no answers or solutions. There is no clarity," she added. (ANI)