New Delhi: India's Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu issued a strong warning to IndiGo, stating he would "definitely" sack the airline's CEO if operational failures continue. The minister's remarks came amid widespread flight cancellations and significant passenger distress across the country. Naidu also confirmed the government ordered IndiGo to reduce its flight schedule by 10% to stabilize operations.^[1][2][3] ### Minister Blames "Internal Mess" for Chaos Minister Naidu squarely blamed IndiGo's "internal mess" and mismanagement of crew rostering for the mass disruptions. He stated that despite repeated consultations, the airline failed to efficiently operate its schedules. The minister expressed deep concern over the inconvenience faced by thousands of passengers, including exorbitant surge pricing for alternative travel.^[1][4][5] Naidu emphasized that all airlines had received adequate preparation time for new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms, but IndiGo alone struggled to adapt.^[1][6] The crisis unfolded around December 3, leading to hundreds of flight delays and cancellations nationwide. IndiGo's operational failures caused chaos at major airports like Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Chennai.^[5][6][7] "No airline, however large, will be permitted to cause hardship to passengers through planning failures and non-compliance with regulations," Naidu said.^[5][8] He stressed that safety in civil aviation is "completely non-negotiable."^[5][9] ### Government Takes Swift Action In response to the escalating crisis, Minister Naidu apologized to the affected passengers, taking personal responsibility for ensuring the aviation sector operates smoothly.^[4][3] He assured that strict and appropriate action would be taken against those responsible. The minister confirmed that IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers was summoned multiple times to the Ministry for updates and to discuss stabilization measures.^[2][10] Initially, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered a 5% cut in IndiGo's flight schedule. However, the Civil Aviation Ministry later doubled this to a 10% curtailment of the airline's overall routes.^{[2][3][10][11]} This directive aims to help stabilize the airline's operations and reduce cancellations. IndiGo has confirmed it will comply with the order.^[10] The airline is expected to operate 1,800 to 1,900 flights daily, down from its previous 2,300.^[8] ### Probe Underway, CEO Issues Statement A four-member committee has been established to investigate the large-scale flight disruptions at IndiGo. Show-cause notices have also been issued to the airline's CEO and Chief Operating Officer (COO), warning of enforcement action.^[8][6] The probe will also scrutinize the DGCA's oversight in the matter.^[4][12] IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers released a video statement acknowledging the disruptions. He claimed the airline's operations have now stabilized and apologized to customers.^[10][5] Elbers confirmed that 100% of refunds for flights affected until December 6 had been completed.^[2][10] Minister Naidu, however, reiterated strict instructions to expedite any remaining refunds and baggage handovers.^[10] The government has also taken steps to prevent passenger exploitation, intervening to cap fares that saw sudden spikes due to the cancellations.^[13] IndiGo has been directed to restructure its operations, add reserve crew capacity, improve passenger handling, and restore normal schedules without delay.^[9][13] The ministry continues enhanced oversight on the ground.^[9][13] ### Future of Indian Aviation Minister Naidu underlined the government's commitment to building a more robust and competitive aviation ecosystem. He stated that policies are encouraging new airlines to start operations in India, ensuring fair access to airport capacity.^[5][9][13] This strategy aims to eliminate any possibility of a duopoly controlling connectivity and pricing, ultimately offering more choice, affordability, and resilience for passengers.^[5][9][13] India's aviation market is the world's fastest-growing, with approximately 12% year-on-year passenger growth.^[9][13]

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