NEW DELHI, Dec 8: The government has initiated an inquiry into IndiGo’s large-scale flight cancellations and will take strict action against the airline for its operational failures, Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu told the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
Responding to concerns raised by Congress MP Pramod Tiwari, Naidu said the ongoing crisis stemmed from IndiGo’s “internal crew roster mismanagement” and had no connection to the Automatic Message Switching System (AMSS), which had caused disruptions in early November.
“We are not taking this situation lightly. We are conducting an inquiry and will take very strict action—not only for this incident but also to set an example for the entire industry,” Naidu said.
He clarified that the new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules were framed after an April 2025 High Court order. Of the 22 guidelines, 15 were implemented on July 1 and the remaining seven on November 1. The minister emphasised that the government had held extensive consultations with stakeholders, including IndiGo, and made it clear that compliance with FDTL norms was non-negotiable for safety.
Naidu said that since November 1, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been in continuous engagement with airlines, granting necessary variations and exemptions after safety assessments. He underlined that the crisis emerged nearly a month after FDTL was fully operational, pointing to IndiGo’s daily crew management lapses.
He also revealed that during a meeting on December 1, when IndiGo sought clarification on FDTL, the airline did not highlight any impending operational breakdown.
“This was daily operational work that IndiGo should have managed. If there is any mis-compliance or non-adherence by any operator, we will take very strict action so that it sets an example in the industry,” Naidu said. (Agencies)
