India’s biggest airline is under pressure after days of cancellations and operational chaos. The Civil Aviation Ministry has now asked IndiGo to scale back overall operations by 10 percent, even as the airline tries to steady its schedule. At the same time, the Airline Pilots’ Association of India has been called to Parliament to outline its concerns over fatigue, safety, and duty-time violations.
Parliament to Hear Pilot Fatigue and Safety Concerns
ALPA India confirmed that it has been invited by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture to present its case. The group plans to highlight issues around poor compliance with Flight Duty Time Limitations, frequent duty violations, and rising operational stress.
The association noted that this is the first time pilot fatigue and related safety risks will be examined at such a high legislative level.
IndiGo Says Operations Are Recovering
After days of disruption that stranded thousands of passengers, IndiGo said Tuesday that its network is stabilising. CEO Peter Elber described the airline as “back on its feet,” saying on-time performance had returned to normal.
The carrier operated more than 1,800 flights on Tuesday and aims to reach nearly 1,900 the following day.
Government Orders a 10 Percent Cut in Flights
Despite IndiGo’s assurances, the Civil Aviation Ministry has instructed the airline to trim its schedule by 10 percent, arguing that IndiGo has not shown it can reliably operate the flights it had planned. The DGCA has asked the airline to submit a revised schedule by December 10.
The ministry says the reduction is meant to improve stability and reduce cancellations, while ensuring IndiGo continues serving all its regular destinations.
Surprise Airport Inspections After Passenger Chaos
Amid the turmoil, senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation carried out unannounced inspections at major airports. Joint Secretary Madhu Sudan Shankar visited Mumbai airport, meeting operators and air traffic control teams. He said the situation was stabilising, though several key domestic routes — including Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Kochi, Goa, Ahmedabad, and Lucknow — had seen heavy delays.
Kolkata Airport Review and Passenger Feedback
In Kolkata, MoCA Director Tanvi Sundriyal inspected the city’s international airport, reviewing passenger touchpoints and speaking with travellers affected by the disruptions. Her walkthrough included IndiGo’s helpdesk, ticket counters, check-in areas, the security hold area, departure gates, and queue management points.
