New Delhi: The ongoing IndiGo crisis has prompted the DGCA to suspend four Flight Operations Inspectors responsible for monitoring airline safety and operational compliance, sources confirmed. The regulatory action comes in the wake of widespread IndiGo flight cancellations and delays over the past week.

A special four-member committee of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) met with IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers on Friday to question him on the airline’s operational lapses. The regulator has stepped up scrutiny following the disruptions, aiming to ensure smoother flight operations and passenger safety.

Earlier, the DGCA had issued a show-cause notice to Pieter Elbers after the airline faced massive cancellations. In its response, IndiGo requested additional time to provide a detailed reply, stating that due to the “complexity and vast scale of operations,” it was “realistically not possible to pinpoint the exact cause(s)” of the IndiGo flight disruptions at this stage.

Reason behind mass IndiGo flight disruptions

According to IndiGo, several factors contributed to the operational crisis:

Implementation of the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) order

1. Minor technical glitches.

2. Schedule changes linked to the start of the winter season.

3. Adverse weather conditions.

4. Increased congestion in the aviation system.

5. Implementation of and operation under the updated crew rostering rules (Flight Duty Time Limitation Phase II)

 

Passenger relief measures

In response to the IndiGo crisis, the airline has offered travel vouchers worth Rs 10,000 to passengers severely affected by flight cancellations. These vouchers can be used for any future IndiGo flight booked within the next 12 months, providing some relief to stranded travellers.