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Govt says IndiGo flagged no issues before mass cancellations, calls for more players in aviation
Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu blamed IndiGo's "internal system" and defended the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) that came into effect last month.
The government on Monday informed the Parliament that the IndiGo airlines flagged no issues in a meeting held on December 1, just one day before the airline started cancelling its flights on a large scale.
Responding to a question in Rajya Sabha, civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu blamed IndiGo's "internal system" and defended the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) that came into effect in November.
Follow live updates on IndiGo flight cancellations here.
"The IndiGo crisis happened due to problems in its crew rostering and internal planning system," Naidu said while answering a question by MP Pramod Tiwari.
Rampant flight cancellations rocked IndiGo on Tuesday afternoon, and continued throughout last week, entering the seventh day on Monday. The airline cancelled over 4,500 flights during this period,
Since the airline commands 60% of India’s domestic market, the mass cancellations dealt a huge blow to passengers' travel plans, leaving them stranded at airports.
When the airline's big stake in the aviation sector was raised in Rajya Sabha, Naidu said the government encourages more players to join in. “I want more players in the industry. Today, India has a capacity of five big airlines and there has been an effort from the ministry to encourage more airlines,” he said.
Naidu also addressed concerns over refunds on cancellations, both done by the airline and initiated by the passengers. The civil aviation minister said that 5,86,705 cancellations (number of passengers) were made, for which ₹569 cr have been issued as refunds.
“For passengers who faced difficulties due to delays and cancellations, strict Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs) are in place, and airlines must comply. An inquiry has been initiated into the software issue. Continuous technology upgradation is part of this sector, and our vision is to ensure top global standards for India’s aviation sector,” Naidu said.
IndiGo has received widespread criticism this week, from passengers and the government alike, for the mass cancellations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had issued a show cause notice against the airline, but granted it a 24-hour extension to submit its response.
Even as the airline said operations were slowly returning to normalcy, over 400 fresh cancellations this morning.
Ram Mohan Naidu has blamed IndiGo's “mismanagement” earlier too, while also claiming that other airlines adapted to the new roster norms without any major issues. He said the situation forced the government to offer the airline temporary relief from certain FDTL norms to restore normal operations.
