Indigo Meltdown Continues: Airline Cancels 160 Flights From Delhi And Bengaluru Expert Hired To Probe Disruption

(MENAFN- Live Mint) IndiGo's operational crisis persisted on Friday, resulting in the cancellation of approximately 160 flights from its major hubs in Delhi and Bengaluru airports, according to sources cited by news agency PTI.

Reports indicate that 105 flights – 52 departures and 53 arrivals – were cancelled at the Delhi airport, while additional 54 flights – 31 arrivals and 23 departures – were cancelled at the Bengaluru airport. This follows Thursday's disruptions, which saw the airline cancel more than 200 flights across the two airports.

Also Read | IndiGo Flight Cancellations LIVE: After DGCA probe, airline under CCI scrutiny

Meanwhile, IndiGo Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers and Chief Operating Officer Isidre Porqueras appeared before a four-member probe panel appointed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for the second time on Friday.

The panel has been tasked to identify the root causes of the widespread operational instability at India's largest airline. Its mandate includes a comprehensive assessment of the airline's manpower planning, the volatility of its rostering systems, and its readiness to implement the latest duty period and rest norms for pilots, which officially came into effect on 1 November of this year.

In a related enforcement action, the DGCA dismissed four Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs) on Friday in connection with the ongoing operational disruptions at the Gurugram-headquartered carrier.

Also Read | DGCA suspends four flight operations inspectors amid IndiGo flight cancellations IndiGo appoints firm to analyse causes of flight disruptions

The board of InterGlobe Aviation, the parent company of IndiGo, announced on Friday the appointment of an independent aviation expert to conduct a comprehensive root-cause analysis of the airline's recent, significant flight disruptions.

IndiGo said in a statement that the board has officially approved the selection of Chief Aviation Advisors LLC to execute the thorough review. The external firm is tasked with commencing the investigation immediately and submitting a comprehensive report to the board.

"Chief Aviation Advisors LLC, led by Captain John Illson, veteran aviation expert, to conduct an independent expert review and assessment of the recent operational disruption and the contributing factors," the airline said.

This move follows recent internal discussions, including a video message earlier this week from IndiGo Chairman Vikram Singh Mehta, who had indicated the board's decision to bring in outside technical experts to assist management in identifying the core issues leading to the operational instability.

"The objective is to conduct an independent root cause analysis of the recent operational disruption, besides opportunities for improvement," it said.

In response to the major operational disruptions that began on 2 December, the board of InterGlobe Aviation has also established a dedicated Crisis Management Group.

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