The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has initiated a thorough audit of IndiGo, India's largest airline. The aviation regulator summoned IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers to its headquarters in New Delhi on December 11. Elbers was directed to provide comprehensive data and updates regarding the widespread flight disruptions that severely impacted air travel across the country in early December. This decisive action underscores the regulator's concern over the operational chaos that left thousands of passengers stranded.^[1][2][3] Regulator Seeks Detailed Information IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers was ordered to appear before the DGCA at 3 pm on December 11.^[2][4][5] He was instructed to bring senior officials from all relevant departments.^[2][4] The DGCA demanded a detailed report on several critical areas. This included the current status of flight restoration efforts across IndiGo's network.^[2][5] The regulator also sought information on the progress made in re-accommodating affected passengers. Special attention was to be given to the priority handling of vulnerable travelers, such as the elderly, those with medical needs, and unaccompanied minors.^[5] Crucially, IndiGo had to present its recruitment plan for pilots and cabin crew.^[4][5] This plan needed to outline the updated strength of its flight and cabin crew. It also required details on the recruitment and training pipeline for the coming months.^[5] The DGCA wanted to understand the specific measures IndiGo was taking to prevent future roster shortages and issues related to Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules.^[5] Further data requested included the number of flights cancelled, the status of refunds processed, and the return of piled-up baggage at airports.^[4][5][6] The airline was also asked to explain its effective information dissemination strategies for passengers and its current fare policy.^[2][4] These demands aimed to address immediate passenger inconvenience and ensure long-term operational stability.^[4] Widespread Flight Chaos and Causes The DGCA's intensive scrutiny followed an unprecedented period of operational meltdown for IndiGo. Starting around December 1, thousands of flights were either cancelled, significantly delayed, or rescheduled.^[1][7] Reports indicated that over 5,000 flights were affected, impacting more than 1.25 million passengers nationwide.^[6] In Mumbai, a major hub, IndiGo recorded 905 cancellations and 1,475 delays exceeding 30 minutes between December 1 and 8.^[8] This disruption affected over 260,000 travelers at the country's second-busiest airport.^[8] IndiGo, as India's largest airline, commands nearly 65% of the domestic aviation market, operating around 2,300 flights daily.^[4] IndiGo attributed the widespread chaos to a combination of factors. These included unforeseen operational challenges, such as minor technology glitches and necessary schedule changes for the winter season.^[9] Adverse weather conditions and increased congestion within the aviation system were also cited.^[9] However, the airline itself acknowledged that a primary cause was "misjudgement and planning gaps" in implementing the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules for pilots.^[4][7] These new FDTL norms, introduced in two phases in July and November, aimed to enhance pilot safety by mandating stricter rest and duty cycles.^[9][10][11] IndiGo admitted that its actual crew requirements under these new rules were higher than it had initially anticipated.^[4] The airline had cancelled 1,232 flights in November, with 755 of those due to crew and FDTL constraints.^[12] DGCA Takes Strict Action In response to the crisis, the DGCA took a firm stance beyond just summoning the CEO. The regulator issued show-cause notices directly to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and Chief Operating Officer Isidre Porqueras.^[9][11] This move was considered unusually stern, holding the top executives personally accountable for the disruptions.^[11] A show-cause notice is a formal directive that requires recipients to explain their conduct within a set timeframe. Failure to provide a satisfactory explanation could result in penalties, including fines or even actions related to their operating licenses.^[11] The DGCA also established a four-member probe committee to conduct an inquiry into the operational breakdown.^[1][6] This panel was mandated to identify the precise root causes behind the widespread disruptions.^[1][6] The committee, announced by DGCA chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai on December 5, was tasked with scrutinizing IndiGo’s manpower planning, its crew rostering practices, and the airline's overall preparedness to implement the updated duty-time and rest norms for pilots. T^[1][6]he panel also evaluated IndiGo's compliance with the revised FDTL provisions and aimed to determine accountability for any planning lapses. ^[1]Furthermore, the Ministry of Civil Aviation intervened by ordering IndiGo to curtail its winter flight schedule by 10%. T^[13][14][15]his decision followed an earlier directive from the DGCA for a 5% reduction. T^[4][13][14]he Ministry's goal was to stabilize the airline’s operations and minimize future cancellations. The^[13] government also imposed fare ceilings to prevent other carriers from unfairly increasing airfares during the disruption. For^[13][15] instance, one-way fares for routes up to 500 km were capped at ₹7,500, while routes between 1,000 and 1,500 km, such as Delhi-Mumbai, were capped at ₹15,000. Passen^[13]ger Impact and Government Response The extensive flight cancellations and delays created significant hardship for thousands of passengers across India. Many were left stranded at airports, facing unexpected disruptions to their travel plans during a busy travel season. The gov^[7]ernment swiftly implemented several measures to alleviate passenger distress. These included ensuring fast refunds for cancelled flights and preventing other airlines from imposing surcharges on their airfares. To help^[9] manage the surge in travel demand, the government-run Indian Railways also launched special train services and added extra coaches to existing trains, prioritizing busy routes like Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, and Hyderabad. Civil ^[9]Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu publicly stated that strict and appropriate action would be taken against IndiGo for the flight disruptions. He emph^[13][14]asized that "safety in civil aviation is completely non-negotiable". The Min^[13]ister attributed the chaos to "lapses" on IndiGo's part and clarified that all airlines had received sufficient notice regarding the implementation of the new FDTL rules. The DGC^[4]A's Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) outline specific rights for air passengers, including provisions for denied boarding, flight cancellations, and delays. These r^[16]ules dictate compensation obligations depending on when passengers are informed of cancellations. If airl^[16]ines cite "technical issues" or "operational reasons" to deny compensation, passengers can approach consumer courts for "deficiency in service". IndiGo^[16]'s Acknowledgment and Future Outlook IndiGo acknowledged the severe operational crisis it faced. CEO Pieter Elbers issued a video statement, publicly apologizing for the widespread disruptions. He attr^[7]ibuted the mass cancellations to "misjudgement and planning gaps," particularly concerning the implementation of new FDTL rules. Elbers ^[7]indicated that it would "take some time" for flight operations to return to full normalcy, anticipating this would occur between December 10 and 15. The air^[7]line also reported that it had completed 100% of refunds for flights affected until December 6. IndiGo^[14] also communicated its intention to proactively scale down flight operations, starting around December 8, to minimize further passenger inconvenience. This co^[10]ntrolled reduction aimed to allow crew-planning teams to rebuild buffers that had been depleted in recent weeks. The air^[10]line assured the DGCA that corrective measures were actively underway and committed to restoring full operational stability by February 10, 2026. As par^[10]t of its audit, the DGCA initiated immediate on-site inspections at select airports. These i^[5]nspections were designed to assess safety protocols, operational preparedness, and the effectiveness of passenger facilitation measures during the ongoing disruption. Officer^[5]s assigned to these inspections were to visit airports within three days and submit detailed reports within 24 hours, covering operational and safety aspects. The cr^[5]isis also garnered attention from India's Parliament. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture was expected to summon senior executives from private airlines, along with officials from the DGCA and the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The com^[11]mittee aimed to seek explanations for the service collapse and propose recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future. Warning^[11]s about mounting risks in India’s aviation sector, particularly concerning the mismatch between rapid fleet expansion and lagging pilot and air traffic controller recruitment, had been issued by a parliamentary committee earlier in the year. The commi^[17]ttee had stressed the urgent need for robust regulatory oversight as workloads increased. This ongo^[17]ing scrutiny by both the regulator and the government highlights a critical period for IndiGo and the broader Indian aviation industry.

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