IndiGo's Unscheduled Landings: DGCA Probes Flight Cancellations

The DGCA convenes a special committee to question IndiGo's CEO about recent flight disruptions. IndiGo claims various factors, including FDTL orders and adverse weather, contributed to the chaos. The airline has offered travel vouchers to affected passengers while it conducts a comprehensive root cause analysis.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has formed a four-member committee to meet with IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers on December 12. This meeting aims to address the widespread flight cancellations that have led to chaos at several airports. The committee seeks to examine the causes of the disruptions.

In response to increased scrutiny from the DGCA, IndiGo has been issued a show-cause notice regarding the cancellations and delays. CEO Pieter Elbers has requested additional time to respond, citing the complexity of pinpointing exact causes due to the vast scale of operations. IndiGo has identified preliminary factors contributing to the situation.

According to IndiGo, factors like the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) order, minor technical glitches, schedule changes, adverse weather, and aviation system congestion, coupled with updated crew rostering rules, have played a role. The airline is offering Rs 10,000 travel vouchers to heavily impacted customers, valid for future journeys.

(With inputs from agencies.)