India’s aviation regulator has turned up the heat on IndiGo after the airline’s massive operational disruptions left thousands of passengers stranded across airports.
In an unusual move, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has stationed officials inside IndiGo’s corporate headquarters and launched surprise inspections across 11 airports.
This move has been undertaken to help restore order, ensure safety, and prevent a repeat of the chaos, reported Business Standard.
Why Is The DGCA Intervening Now?
IndiGo has been grappling with widespread cancellations over the past week, triggered largely by crew shortages following the rollout of new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms. The directive mandates longer rest periods for pilots and cabin crew, a change designed to improve safety but one that caught the airline unprepared.
Even as IndiGo declared on Tuesday that operations had “fully stabilised” with more than 1,800 flights operating, the airline still cancelled over 450 flights that day and around 220 on Wednesday. This persistent disruption, along with passenger complaints about lack of information, refunds and assistance, prompted DGCA action.
New Oversight Team: What Will It Do?
On Wednesday, the DGCA announced the formation of an oversight team comprising eight senior captains. Their mandate is sweeping and leaves little out of bounds. The team will examine:
- Fleet strength and aircraft availability
- Pilot numbers, rest schedules and crew utilisation
- Last‑minute absenteeism among staff
- Daily flight loads and sectors affected by disruptions
Two DGCA team members, along with two government officials, will now be physically present at IndiGo’s Gurugram headquarters. Their daily duties include monitoring flight cancellations (domestic and international), refund timelines, on‑time performance, passenger compensation status, and baggage‑handling and return issues Both teams are required to submit daily reports directly to the DGCA.
Which Airports Will Be Inspected And Why?
To get a ground‑level view of the situation, the DGCA has ordered immediate on‑site inspections across 11 airports: Nagpur, Jaipur, Bhopal, Surat, Tirupati, Vijayawada, Shirdi, Cochin, Lucknow, Amritsar and Dehradun.
The regulator says the inspections are meant to evaluate operational readiness amid disruptions, overall safety parameters, terminal congestion and queue management, delay and cancellation handling procedures, and the functioning of airline help desks.
Further, these checks will look into whether vulnerable passengers such as seniors, children and pregnant women receive timely assistance, and the accuracy and timeliness of information shared with flyers. Inspecting officers must file reports within 24 hours of each assessment.
DGCA Summons IndiGo CEO
Adding more pressure on the airline, the DGCA has summoned IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers to appear on Thursday. He is expected to provide a detailed account of the disruptions, updated operational data, and corrective measures taken so far
This move signals the regulator’s intent to hold the airline leadership responsible for mismanagement, particularly the lack of advance communication to passengers.
