A five-day operational meltdown at IndiGo triggers unprecedented flight cancellations.
New Delhi: A severe, five-day operational breakdown at IndiGo has thrown India’s aviation sector into disarray, triggering widespread cancellations and leaving thousands of passengers stranded across the country. The chaos that began on Thursday peaked on Friday, when the airline cancelled more than 1,000 flights in a single day—the highest number of cancellations in its history. Saturday brought no respite, with hundreds of flights scrapped at major airports including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune, pushing passengers into confusion, long waits and complete uncertainty.
For the first time since the crisis erupted, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers appeared publicly and admitted that the airline’s own “operational reboot” was the principal cause of the turmoil. He said 5 December had been “the worst day,” and explained that the large-scale cancellations were intended to reset aircraft and crew rotations. Elbers said IndiGo expects full normalcy between 10 and 15 December.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation, however, is far from convinced by the airline’s explanation. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has stated that poor planning and flawed decisions during the implementation of new pilot duty-hour norms triggered the crisis. To restore order, the Centre has issued stringent directives: IndiGo must refund passengers the full fare for all cancelled flights by 8 p.m. on 7 December, and must not charge any rescheduling fees from affected travellers. Failure to comply will lead to immediate punitive action. The ministry has also instructed the airline to set up a special refund cell and a passenger assistance cell.
Additional measures aim to reduce passenger hardship. If baggage is separated from travellers during cancellations, IndiGo must deliver it to their homes or specified addresses within 48 hours. The airline must also make dedicated arrangements for senior citizens, patients, students and passengers requiring special assistance. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, acting on a public-interest petition, has sought a status report from the Centre and the DGCA on the crisis.
Even as five consecutive days of disruption have severely dented IndiGo’s credibility, the airline says it is working on a “war footing” to restore stability. All eyes are now on whether the promised return to normal operations between 10 and 15 December materialises—and how swiftly IndiGo can rebuild the passenger trust that has been shaken by this unprecedented collapse.
New Delhi: A severe, five-day operational breakdown at IndiGo has thrown India’s aviation sector into disarray, triggering widespread cancellations and leaving thousands of passengers stranded across the country. The chaos that began on Thursday peaked on Friday, when the airline cancelled more than 1,000 flights in a single day—the highest number of cancellations in its history. Saturday brought no respite, with hundreds of flights scrapped at major airports including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Pune, pushing passengers into confusion, long waits and complete uncertainty.
For the first time since the crisis erupted, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers appeared publicly and admitted that the airline’s own “operational reboot” was the principal cause of the turmoil. He said 5 December had been “the worst day,” and explained that the large-scale cancellations were intended to reset aircraft and crew rotations. Elbers said IndiGo expects full normalcy between 10 and 15 December.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation, however, is far from convinced by the airline’s explanation. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has stated that poor planning and flawed decisions during the implementation of new pilot duty-hour norms triggered the crisis. To restore order, the Centre has issued stringent directives: IndiGo must refund passengers the full fare for all cancelled flights by 8 p.m. on 7 December, and must not charge any rescheduling fees from affected travellers. Failure to comply will lead to immediate punitive action. The ministry has also instructed the airline to set up a special refund cell and a passenger assistance cell.
Additional measures aim to reduce passenger hardship. If baggage is separated from travellers during cancellations, IndiGo must deliver it to their homes or specified addresses within 48 hours. The airline must also make dedicated arrangements for senior citizens, patients, students and passengers requiring special assistance. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court, acting on a public-interest petition, has sought a status report from the Centre and the DGCA on the crisis.
Even as five consecutive days of disruption have severely dented IndiGo’s credibility, the airline says it is working on a “war footing” to restore stability. All eyes are now on whether the promised return to normal operations between 10 and 15 December materialises—and how swiftly IndiGo can rebuild the passenger trust that has been shaken by this unprecedented collapse.
إرسال تعليق