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'Eliminating chance of duopoly': Aviation minister calls for more airlines in India amid IndiGo chaos
Addressing the Lok Sabha on the issue, civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu said that airport operations were returning to normalcy.
The government on Tuesday told Parliament it is committed to making the aviation sector more competitive and resilient, and is encouraging more airlines to enter the market.
Addressing the Lok Sabha on the issue, civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu said that airport operations were returning to normalcy.
He added that no airline, "however large, will be permitted to cause such hardship to passengers through planning failures, non-compliance."
Follow live updates on the IndiGo flight status and cancellations here.
He held IndiGo's internal rostering issues responsible for the widespread cancellations and said that no airline, no matter how big, can cause hardship to passengers.
Calling for more airlines to join the market, Naidu said: "Going forward, the government is determined to make a more robust and competitive aviation system. Through our policies, we are encouraging more new airlines to start and operate in India."
Naidu asserted that more airlines meant more choice and said that it would ensure "fair access to airport capacity" and eliminate any possibility of duopoly, while also ensuring better connectivity and airfares.
“More airlines mean more choice, more affordability and more resilience for the passengers,” Naidu said. The aviation minister also said that India has seen an year on year passenger growth of 12%, vowing to maintain the momentum in the coming years.
Ram Mohan Naidu also said defended the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) that came into effect in November, and said that they were “scientifically designed” to prevent pilot fatigue, and were aimed at passenger safety.
The minister also said that IndiGo had assured full compliance with the norms and even confirmed its preparedness before the winter schedule. “It was observed that internal rostering disruptions led to large scale cancellations,” Naidu said, holding IndiGo squarely responsible for the chaos.
He said airports across the country are reporting normal conditions, with no crowding or distress.
"Refunds, baggage tracing and passenger support measures remain under the supervision of the ministry. Directorate General of Civil Aviation has issued show-cause notices to IndiGo's senior leadership and commenced a detailed enforcement investigation," Naidu said, adding that further action would be initiated based on the report.
