Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has said that IndiGo is solely responsible for the recent air crisis and has failed in its duties.
Mr Naidu said that IndiGo’s mismanagement of its internal crew and pilot utilisation is to be blamed for the recent disruptions and flight Cancellations, not the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) guidelines. He declared that the government is under no pressure from them and has always treated every airline with equal steadiness.
He further clarified that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation – DGCA had already received necessary compliance from the airline. It even held a clarification meeting on the guidelines, where IndiGo did not raise any objections. He reiterated that the DGCA has always been open to conversation.
Mr Naidu mentioned that the DGCA is currently examining IndiGo’s response to its show-cause notice, and strict action will be taken, keeping in mind the response and the inconvenience caused to passengers. He announced that the government is planning to curtail IndiGo’s operations by bringing down its two thousand two hundred total routes, and distributing them to other operators.
The Minister also revealed that an internal evaluation of DGCA will soon be done to promote accountability and strengthen the body. He added that all existing rules and guidelines will be revised, with a special focus on passenger rights.
Mr Naidu further added that the Ministry wants to strike a balance between keeping airfare affordable, protecting passenger rights and growing the aviation sector, with passengers at the centre.
Mr Naidu informed that the situation will completely normalise from tomorrow. He assured the passengers that there won’t be any problem and that the government will thoroughly monitor for proper and safe operations.
