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IndiGo's Board of Directors has set up a high-level Crisis Management Group (CMG) to deal with the large-scale cancellations and delays that have disrupted flight operations and inconvenienced passengers across the country over the past week, the airline Spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday.
According to the statement, the CMG was constituted after an emergency Board meeting held on the very first day the disruptions emerged. The Board received a detailed briefing from the Management on the nature and extent of the crisis before holding a closed-door session exclusively for Board members. The newly formed CMG includes Chairman Vikram Singh Mehta, Board Directors Gregg Saretsky, Mike Whitaker, and Amitabh Kant, and CEO Pieter Elbers. The statement further noted that the group has been meeting regularly to closely monitor the situation and review ongoing efforts to stabilise operations, adding that Directors not part of the CMG have also participated in multiple telephonic discussions as part of the crisis-response mechanism. "The objective of these meetings and exchanges is to address, as quickly as practically possible, the hardships suffered by our customers and other stakeholders while also restoring operational integrity across the airline's network expeditiously," the statement read. The Board stated that it is doing "everything possible" to support affected passengers, including ensuring timely refunds for cancellations and offering waivers on cancellation or rescheduling charges during the crisis period. "The Board of Directors is doing everything possible to take care of the challenges faced by our customers and to ensure refunds on cancellation and offer waivers on cancellation/rescheduling during the period of crisis," the statement read. Earlier, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) formally issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo's CEO Pieter Elbers--holding the airline accountable for large-scale operational disruptions in recent days and pointing to "significant lapses in planning, oversight and resource management". In its notice, the regulatory body on Saturday demanded that the CEO provide an explanation, following a week of widespread cancellations and delays that have left thousands of passengers stranded across India. As per the notice, Elbers must respond within 24 hours to explain why enforcement action should not be initiated against the carrier; failure to reply will allow the DGCA to decide the matter ex parte. Since last week, the civil aviation industry in India has been hit by massive disruptions, with cancellations, severe delays, and the rescheduling of many flights by IndiGo, primarily due to a sudden shortage of pilots and crew following the implementation of revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms issued by the DGCA last year. This has led to thousands of passengers facing significant inconvenience, long queues, and inadequate facilities, with some stranded at the airport for hours. Passengers have also urged the airline to provide timely updates and support to minimise inconvenience. (ANI)
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