DGCA summons IndiGo CEO as flight chaos continues; govt warns of ‘strict action’

In the latest on the IndiGo crisis, DGCA has summoned IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and the airline’s top leadership for a detailed briefing on December 11 at 3 pm, as disruptions continue to leave passengers stranded across major airports. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has instructed Elbers to appear with senior officials from all key departments and present comprehensive data on the ongoing operational crisis.

According to the DGCA notice, IndiGo must submit updates on flight restoration plans, recruitment progress, refunds and baggage handling status, fare policy, and passenger communication measures. The regulator’s intervention comes amid mounting chaos, with hundreds of cancellations linked to the recently implemented Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) norms.

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The latest summons follows a meeting earlier this week between Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and the IndiGo CEO. The minister has taken an unusually tough line, publicly warning that “strict action”, including the possible removal of Elbers, is on the table if accountability lapses are proven.

In an interview with The Times of India, Naidu said he would not hesitate to remove the CEO “if necessary” after assessing the findings. “If it comes to that, definitely I will do it. I will charge them with all the penalties that are there… I’ve been in the office for the past seven days, conducting continuous review meetings,” he said.

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Naidu also hinted that the scale and timing of the disruptions may not be accidental. “There seems to be some kind of intentional thing… The way they have been controlling their operations, this shouldn’t have happened. Why at that specific point in time? How did it lead to this situation? This is something we are thoroughly investigating,” he said.

Reports suggest that some IndiGo board members are against any immediate move to sack Elbers, warning that replacing a CEO overseeing such a vast operation on short notice would be extremely difficult. They argued that Elbers has successfully navigated crises in the past and may be the best placed to stabilise operations.

Minister Naidu apologised to passengers affected by the nationwide meltdown and acknowledged his responsibility to fix the crisis quickly. “I’m apologising. I’m also responsible as a minister to ensure this sector is flying high… When these incidents happen, it puts extra responsibility on me,” he said.

In a striking development, Naidu confirmed that the government will also investigate how the DGCA handled the situation, suggesting that regulatory oversight will be scrutinised along with IndiGo’s internal failures.

The DGCA meeting on December 11 is expected to be a decisive step in assessing IndiGo’s operational preparedness and accountability. With passenger frustration rising and government pressure intensifying, the outcome of the regulator’s review and the potential consequences for IndiGo’s top leadership will shape the next phase of India’s biggest aviation crisis in recent years.