India’s Top Airline Faces Regulatory Action

(MENAFN) India’s civil aviation authority has issued a warning to the nation’s largest airline regarding potential regulatory measures, following widespread passenger inconvenience caused by the airline’s inability to comply with new duty time restrictions for flight personnel.

The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced on Sunday that it has extended the deadline for IndiGo Airlines to respond to a “show-cause” notice explaining why enforcement action should not be initiated against the carrier.

The “show-cause” notice was initially sent to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers on December 6, after which the airline requested additional time to reply.

Last week, flight disturbances left thousands of travelers stranded at airports across India, as IndiGo struggled to adapt to the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) that took effect on November 1.

Holding a 60% share of India’s domestic aviation market, IndiGo operates over 2,000 flights daily. Since last Tuesday, the airline has canceled more than 2,000 flights, intensifying travel disruptions.

The disturbances also led to a sharp rise in airfares across the country.

To help restore normal operations after the chaos, the DGCA temporarily relaxed FDTL regulations for IndiGo’s A320 aircraft, according to a media outlet.

The aviation authority indicated that the “primary cause” of the disruption was IndiGo’s failure to implement “adequate arrangements” to satisfy the updated requirements for staffing, duty hours, and scheduling under the FDTL framework.

The FDTL regulations, introduced to mitigate crew fatigue and enhance safety, require 48 hours of “uninterrupted rest” weekly and limit pilots and cabin crew to only two consecutive night duties, among other conditions.

Compliance with these rules necessitated the recruitment of additional crew, as reported by a news agency.

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