Turmoil in the Skies: IndiGo Faces Backlash for Flight Disruptions and DGCA's Penalty

The Federation of Indian Pilots criticized the DGCA for imposing a 'meagre' penalty of Rs 22.20 crore on IndiGo for massive flight disruptions in December. The DGCA had fined IndiGo after a probe into thousands of flight cancellations and delays, but the penalties and actions were deemed insufficient.

The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has voiced strong criticism against aviation regulator DGCA's handling of the massive flight disruptions by IndiGo in December. The DGCA imposed a fine of Rs 22.20 crore on the airline, which the pilots' body has branded as a minimal penalty.

Following a detailed investigation, DGCA fined IndiGo after it canceled over 2,500 flights and delayed more than 1,800, affecting more than 300,000 passengers. The DGCA also warned IndiGo's top executives and ordered the removal of a senior vice president for non-compliance issues.

FIP's president, G S Randhawa, questioned the concrete actions taken against IndiGo, arguing that the response was just a warning rather than a measure fitting the national crisis. The pilots' body also highlighted examples of more stringent penalties elsewhere, such as the USD 140 million fine imposed by the US Department of Transport on Southwest Airlines in 2022.

(With inputs from agencies.)