Will Take Necessary Action, This Won’t Be Left Unattended: Civil Aviation Minister on IndiGo Fiasco

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu has assured strict action against IndiGo following the widespread flight delays and cancellations that have disrupted air travel across the country for nearly five days. The minister emphasised that the situation is gradually stabilising and expressed confidence that normal operations would resume shortly.

Speaking to ANI, Naidu said that the government’s top priority is restoring normalcy, clearing passenger backlogs, and ensuring that airlines comply with mandated operational norms.

Govt Says Situation Improving; Backlogs Being Cleared

The minister provided an update on the improving conditions at key airports:
“Today, we are seeing that the situation is getting better. The backlogs that have been there for the last two days have been cleared. From tomorrow, we are expecting normalcy—there won’t be any congestion or waiting at airports,” Naidu said.

He noted that IndiGo has been instructed to resume operations at maximum capacity, and the aviation ministry is closely monitoring compliance with Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) norms and overall network scheduling.

Centre Forms Inquiry Committee, Promises Action

Addressing public frustration over the chaos, Naidu confirmed that a high-level committee has been constituted to thoroughly investigate the disruption:
“We have formed a committee which will inquire into all this—what went wrong and who is responsible. We are going to take necessary action. This should not be left unattended. Strict action will be taken so that those responsible are held accountable.”

The probe will examine whether mismanagement, staff issues, operational lapses, or violations of safety and duty norms contributed to the crisis.

IndiGo’s Disruptions Continue for Fifth Consecutive Day

India’s largest airline has been struggling to stabilise operations:

• Over 1,000 flights were cancelled on Friday, after another 550 cancellations on Thursday.
• Delays and cancellations continued into Saturday across several major airports.

Despite Delhi airport reporting gradual stabilisation, multiple hubs continued to face disruptions:

Airport-wise Impact

Thiruvananthapuram Airport (Kerala):

• 3 domestic arrivals cancelled
• 3 domestic departures cancelled

Ahmedabad Airport (Gujarat):

• Between 12 am and 6 am on December 6:
  • 7 arrivals cancelled
  • 12 departures cancelled

Passengers across the country have reported long queues, rescheduled flights, inadequate communication, and missed connections—leading to growing criticism of the airline.

What Led to the IndiGo Crisis?

While the detailed causes will emerge after the committee’s evaluation, preliminary industry reports indicate:

• Large-scale crew unavailability
• Potential FDTL violations leading to grounded staff
• Scheduling mismatches
• High passenger load during peak travel season
• Possible operational inefficiencies

The Civil Aviation Ministry said it will ensure better monitoring, stronger crisis management protocols, and enhanced passenger support mechanisms going forward.

Government’s Message to Passengers

Minister Naidu reassured passengers that the government is actively intervening to ensure service restoration:
“We are deeply observing this. We will ensure all airlines follow due diligence. Passenger inconvenience will not be tolerated.”

The ministry is expected to issue a formal advisory soon, emphasizing accountability and stronger passenger-rights enforcement for airlines.