New Delhi, Dec 7: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Sunday issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo’s accountable manager, intensifying regulatory scrutiny just a day after a similar notice was served to the airline’s CEO, Pieter Elbers. The aviation regulator said that IndiGo’s extensive flight cancellations in recent days have caused widespread inconvenience and distress to passengers across the country.
According to the DGCA, IndiGo failed to adequately prepare for the implementation of the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules, which govern crew duty hours and mandatory rest periods. The rules, recently enforced, have led to significant operational challenges for the airline, triggering disruptions on a massive scale.
In its notice, the regulator stated that IndiGo’s “large-scale operation failures” highlight serious deficiencies in planning, oversight and resource management. The DGCA further noted that the airline appears to have violated Rule 42A of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, along with several provisions of the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) related to flight time limitations, crew duty periods and rest obligations.
The regulator also pointed out that IndiGo did not provide the necessary assistance to affected passengers, despite mandatory norms requiring airlines to offer support in cases of cancellations, delays or denied boarding. This lack of adequate passenger care has compounded the frustration of travellers already affected by the ongoing disruptions.
The accountable manager has been given 24 hours to explain why enforcement action should not be taken for these violations. The DGCA warned that failure to respond within the stipulated time will result in action based on available evidence.
This latest notice follows earlier regulatory steps, including warnings issued to the airline’s top leadership. Meanwhile, IndiGo announced that it plans to operate 1,500 flights and has restored 95 per cent of its route network. However, despite the assurances, over 220 flights were cancelled across major airports by the time of reporting, further adding to the nationwide travel chaos.
