Priyank Kharge takes ‘flying hawaii slippers’ swipe amid IndiGo crisis

Priyank Kharge alleged that the DGCA has fallen into a trap of duopoly and that the government's lack of accountability is hurting citizens.

Karnataka Rural Development Minister Priyank Kharge took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the mass cancellation of IndiGo flights across India, which triggered operational disruptions and widespread anger among passengers.

File photo of Congress leader Priyank Kharge. (File)

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Minister Kharge remarked that while the Prime Minister once said people wearing Hawai chappals would be able to fly, now Hawai chappals are flying at officials in the airport."

He further alleged that the DGCA has fallen into a trap of duopoly and that the government's lack of accountability is hurting citizens.

"DGCA has unwillingly fallen into the trap of duopoly. The lack of response (of IndiGo) and lack of responsibility of the government is hurting the citizens more. PM Modi said a person wearing Hawaii slippers will be flying while today, Hawaii slippers are flying at the officials at the airport...," Kharge told reporters.

Earlier today, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu addressed the ongoing IndiGo crisis in the Rajya Sabha, saying the issues faced by passengers were linked to the airline's internal crew rostering and operational planning, and not the Aircraft Maintenance and Scheduling System (AMSS).

The Aviation Minister emphasised that "there will be no compromise on safety". Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Naidu stated that stringent Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs) exist to protect passengers affected by flight delays and cancellations.

"For all passengers who have faced difficulties due to delays and cancellations, strict Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs) are in place. Airline operators have to follow these requirements. Regarding the software issue, an inquiry has been made. Continuous technology upgradation happens in this sector. Our vision from the government is to have top global standards for the aviation sector in the country," he said.

Answering a question from Member of Rajya Sabha M Thambi Durai, who cited long hours spent stranded and exorbitant fares, the Union Minister expressed regret for the inconvenience caused.

Aviation Minister Naidu said, "Over five lakh PNR cancellations had been recorded, and ₹569 crore had been provided to affected passengers. The government has capped fares and created four pricing slabs, taking strict action against non-compliance, and has previously acted to curb unreasonable fare hikes."

These discussions come amid continued delays and cancellations across IndiGo's network, which has left passengers stranded at airports nationwide. Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted IndiGo's Accountable Manager and Chief Executive Officer a one-time 24-hour extension to respond to the Show Cause Notice issued on December 6 over large-scale operational disruptions and observed non-compliances. The airline had requested more time, citing "operational constraints" linked to the size of its nationwide network and multiple unavoidable factors contributing to the delays. After reviewing the request, the DGCA extended the reply deadline only till 1800 hours on December 8, stressing that no additional extensions would be granted.