Stability returns to Pune airport even as IndiGo disruption persists
Flight operations at Pune airport returned to normalcy on Friday, with all airlines except IndiGo following their schedules without disruption between 12 am and 5 pm
PUNE: Flight operations at Pune airport returned to normalcy on Friday, with all airlines except IndiGo following their schedules without disruption between 12 am and 5 pm. Airport officials said functions remained normal even as IndiGo continued to report a large number of cancellations.
During this period, the airport handled 31 arrivals and 31 departures, facilitating 5,122 incoming and 4,805 outgoing passengers. Air India, SpiceJet, AIX, Akasa Air, Star Air and Fly91 all completed their scheduled flights. IndiGo, however, cancelled a total 42 flights including 21 arrivals and 21 departures, operating only seven in each category.
Airport director Santosh Dhoke said, “All teams, including ground-handling agencies and security staff, were fully deployed to ensure smooth operations and timely aircraft turnaround.”
Union minister of state for civil aviation and Pune MP, Murlidhar Mohol, said that the Centre had taken serious note of the disruption in IndiGo’s services. He said that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA’s) revised flight duty time limitations (FDTL) had been put on hold and a 24x7 control room had been set up to monitor the situation. A high-level inquiry had also been ordered, he shared.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Mohan Joshi held the union government responsible for the chaos, alleging that unplanned aviation policy changes by the Centre and DGCA had triggered the nationwide disruption. Joshi said that sudden implementation of new FDTL norms caused a crew shortage at IndiGo, leading to mass cancellations and that the DGCA rescinded its order only after significant damage had already occurred.
