India’s aviation watchdog, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has taken a firm action against IndiGo amid a wave of flight disruptions that has unsettled thousands of travelers. On Saturday, DGCA issued show cause notices to IndiGo’s CEO Pieter Elbers and Accountable Manager Isidro Porqueras, demanding explanations within 24 hours for the airline’s ongoing operational failures.
For five consecutive days, IndiGo has grappled with widespread cancellations and delays, triggering major inconvenience across its network. According to the DGCA’s notices, these disruptions stem from severe shortcomings in planning, oversight, and resource management, which are areas that fall directly under the airline’s leadership.
Isidro Porqueras, who doubles as both the Accountable Manager and Chief Operating Officer of IndiGo, shares accountability alongside CEO Elbers. The regulator’s letter specifically pointed out Elbers’ failure to “ensure timely arrangements for conduct of reliable operations and the availability of requisite facilities to passengers.”
“Now, therefore, you are hereby directed to show cause within 24 hours of receipt of this notice as to why appropriate enforcement action should not be initiated against you under the relevant provisions of the Aircraft Rules and Civil Aviation Requirements for the above-mentioned violations,” the notice read.
The DGCA’s investigation highlights the core issue as inadequate provisioning for the revised requirements concerning the approved Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) scheme. This lapse has led to the breakdown in smooth implementation, critically affecting flight schedules.
On Saturday, the Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, accompanied by senior civil aviation ministry officials, convened a “serious meeting” with IndiGo’s CEO to thoroughly review the situation and discuss remedial measures, a government source confirmed.
Authorities are closely monitoring the inquiry outcomes and have pledged to take appropriate action based on the committee’s findings. This development comes at a crucial time for India’s aviation sector, underscoring the pressing need for robust operational discipline to restore passenger confidence.
