IndiGo Flight Chaos: Govt Orders Probe, CEO Hopes for Normalcy in Days
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The Indian government has launched an investigation into the massive flight cancellations by IndiGo, with the airline's CEO promising a return to normalcy within days. The crisis, which entered its fourth day, has affected over 1,100 flights, with the worst-hit being Delhi and Chennai airports. According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, two orders have been issued to mitigate the disruptions and restore stability to the airline's services. The aviation watchdog, DGCA, has also modified its guidelines for rest for airline crew members, withdrawing a previous instruction that had limited pilot duty hours. IndiGo's CEO, Pieter Elbers, has stated that flight cancellations are expected to be below 1,000 on Saturday, with a full return to normalcy anticipated between 10-15 December. However, the airline has informed the DGCA that operations are expected to be fully stabilised by February 10, sparking concerns among passengers who have already booked flights for the coming months. The flight disruptions have been largely attributed to the airline's struggles with implementing new flight duty norms, which took effect on November 1. The DGCA has rolled back on a key instruction that had limited pilot duty hours, allowing airlines to substitute leaves for weekly rest. The crisis has led to a surge in air fares, with prices for flights on other airlines, such as Akasa Air and SpiceJet, skyrocketing. IndiGo has apologised for the ongoing delays and cancellations, and has informed the DGCA that more cancellations can be expected till December 8. Key details: - Over 500 flights cancelled across airports in India on Friday - Total number of flights cancelled since December 2 crossed 1,100 - Delhi airport: All flights cancelled for the day - Bengaluru: 102 flights cancelled (50 departures and 52 arrivals) - Mumbai: 104 flights cancelled (53 departures and 50 arrivals) - Hyderabad: 92 flights cancelled (49 departures, 43 arrivals) - Goa: 30 flights cancelled - Chennai: All flights cancelled till 6 pm The government's investigation and the airline's efforts to restore normalcy will be closely watched by passengers and industry experts alike.
