Govt constitutes high-level enquiry on IndiGo to fix accountability, says aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu

The government of India has instituted a high-level inquiry into the large-scale service disruption in flight schedules of InterGlobe Aviation Limited which does business as IndiGo.

The government inquiry will examine what went wrong at IndiGo, determine accountability wherever required for appropriate actions, and recommend measures to prevent similar disruptions in the future, ensuring that passengers do not face such hardships again, civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu said in a statement.

The minister also reiterated the order released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), earlier today suspending the new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms with immediate effect.

The new FDTL norms came into effect after DGCA reviewed fatigue incidents, coupled with court directives, prioritised safety over operational ease. As per pilots' body ALPA India, such norms protect lives and help reduce error-prone fatigue.

The duty and flight time of pilots are controlled by the FDTL. It includes limitations on night landings and rest, to reduce fatigue risk in accordance with global norms. Among the proposed changes under the new norms, the weekly rest of pilots was increased from 36 to 48 hours continuously, night duties redefined from 00:00-06:00 (earlier 00:00-05:00), night landings per pilot reduced from six to two, and not more than two consecutive nights of duties.

"The FDTL orders of the DGCA have been placed in abeyance with immediate effect," the statement said.

“Without compromising on air safety, this decision has been taken solely in the interest of passengers, especially senior citizens, students, patients, and others who rely on timely air travel for essential needs,” the minister’s statement added.

The government has also directed several operational measures to ensure that normal airline services are restored at the earliest, and the inconvenience caused to travellers is significantly reduced.

“We anticipate that complete restoration of services will be achieved within the next three days,” Naidu said.

Airlines have also been asked to provide regular and accurate updates to passengers through online information systems, enabling them to monitor real-time flight status from their homes. The government also said that in case of cancellations, the airlines will automatically issue full refunds without the need for passengers to make any requests. The airlines have also been directed to provide hotel accommodation for passengers who are stranded due to prolonged delays.