Mumbai, Dec 12: Aviation regulator DGCA has suspended four Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs) following massive disruptions in IndiGo’s operations that led to thousands of flight cancellations and left lakhs of passengers stranded across airports. The crisis deepened on Friday as the airline cancelled more than 50 flights from Bengaluru Airport alone.
FOIs, senior officials within the DGCA responsible for regulatory and safety oversight, monitor airline operations and enforce compliance. A source confirmed that four FOIs were suspended in connection with the large-scale disruptions affecting IndiGo’s network.
The officials oversee critical functions such as inspection, auditing, certification of airlines, and verification of regulatory standards for pilots, dispatchers, and cabin crew. On Friday, IndiGo cancelled 54 flights — 31 arrivals and 23 departures — from Bengaluru, a day after more than 200 flights were cancelled from Delhi and Bengaluru airports.
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and COO Isidre Porqueras are scheduled to appear before the DGCA’s investigation panel again at 2 PM on Friday. This comes after DGCA stationed officials at the airline’s headquarters on Thursday and intensified monitoring of its operations, during which Elbers faced extensive questioning.
The four-member inquiry panel, led by Joint Director General Sanjay Brahamane and including Deputy Director General Amit Gupta, senior FOI Kapil Manglik, and FOI Lokesh Rampal, has been tasked with identifying the root causes behind the widespread disruptions. The committee is examining manpower planning, irregular rostering, and IndiGo’s preparedness to meet the revised pilot duty and rest norms that came into effect on November 1. (Agencies)
