NEW DELHI: IndiGo could have its schedule minimize by 5% and the identical – roughly about 110 each day flights – might be given to different airways which have the sources so as to add capability. A furious authorities is mulling incremental cuts to the schedule beginning with 5%, adopted by one other 5% in coming days if want be, say sources, including that different actions are additionally being thought of within the wake of the extreme disruptions attributable to flight cancellations.In the meantime, a “profusely apologetic” IndiGo has in its reply to the DGCA’s show-cause discover blamed a mix of 5 components, together with new flight obligation time limitation (FDTL) guidelines and winter schedule-related adjustments, for its large flight disruptions.The airline stated given the size of its operations, it’s “realistically not attainable to pinpoint the precise trigger(s)” within the time given. It sought extra time for a “complete root-cause evaluation”, citing DGCA’s guide that enables a 15-day response time.
DGCA could scale down IndiGo ops to make room for others
DGCA is within the strategy of analyzing the response and enforcement motion as deemed acceptable shall be taken sooner or later,” the aviation ministry stated relating to the responses submitted at 6.01pm Monday by CEO Pieter Elbers and COO Isidre Porqueras, who can also be the accountable supervisor.Given the general public anger at aviation authorities, it stays to be seen whether or not IndiGo shall be granted extra time. The DGCA may now scale down IndiGo’s flights in proportion to its crew energy and make the slots accessible to different airways relying on their useful resource availability. Aside from a hefty monetary penalty, the highest executives, who’re authorised by the DGCA, together with the airline’s accountable supervisor (the COO), could face motion. The airline, too, could both search resignations or sack key individuals seen as accountable for the large mess.The airline has attributed the disruption to the “compounding impact of a number of components which coincided in lesser or higher measure” in an “unlucky and unforeseeable confluence”. It listed these as minor technical glitches; schedule adjustments linked to the beginning of the winter season; antagonistic climate situations; elevated congestion within the aviation system; and implementation of and operation underneath the up to date crew rostering guidelines (FDTL section II) that got here into drive on Nov 1, 2025.“IndiGo notes that they had been partaking with the DGCA relating to challenges in implementing FDTL section II and had been in search of variations, exemptions or extensions. The disruptions started in early Dec when the compounding components resulted in a decrease on-time community efficiency, which affected crew availability,” the aviation ministry stated.IndiGo termed the Dec 5 large-scale cancellations, when over 1,000 IndiGo flights – virtually half its each day schedule – had been affected, as a “drastic measure” of “rebooting” the community “to get well stranded prospects, ease airport congestion, and reposition crew/plane”.In the meantime, the four-member DGCA panel probing IndiGo disruption, headed by joint DG Sanjay Brahamane, may summon CEO Pieter Elbers and COO Isidre Porqueras. This panel has been mandated to pinpoint the basis reason for this disruption and can look at manpower planning, rostering and IndiGo’s preparedness to implement the brand new FDTL guidelines.
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