India’s aviation safety regulator, the DGCA, has asked IndiGo’s CEO, Pieter Elbers, to come to its office on Thursday, December 1. He must present a full
report explaining the IndiGo airline’s recent operational problems. The DGCA also wants detailed data and updates about what caused the disruptions and what the airline is doing to fix them. The directive comes as IndiGo faces ongoing difficulties that have affected its flights and overall operations. Elbers has been asked to appear at the DGCA office at 3 pm on Thursday. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) also said that the CEO, along with senior officials from all relevant departments, has been instructed to attend the meeting. As per the regulator's order, the IndiGo airline has been asked to present information on the flight restoration, recruitment plan of pilots and crew, with updated position of pilot and cabin crew strength, number of flights cancelled and refunds processed, among others. On cancellation refunds, IndiGo is required to provide data on the number of cancelled flights, refunds processed, refund turnaround timelines for both direct and OTA bookings, and compliance with DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) provisions. The DGCA has further sought details on baggage return, including delayed or misrouted baggage cases, steps taken to trace and return luggage, average timelines, and compensation offered as per regulations. As per DGCA, the concerned airline must present the performance of its SMS and email alert systems, the improvements initiated to enable real-time communication about delays and cancellations, and enhanced coordination between the Operations Control Centre, airports, and customer support. Moreover, the DGCA has asked for updates on rerouting policies after cancellations, including the process followed for rerouting passengers on alternate flights, data on rerouting within IndiGo's network and on other airlines, and compliance with DGCA requirements for rerouting passengers at no additional cost. The DGCA appointed a panel to enquire about the disruptions amid large-scale disruptions to its services, which resulted in thousands of flights being cancelled, delayed or rescheduled. The four-member committee, which comprises Joint DG Sanjay Brahamane, Deputy Director General Amit Gupta, senior Flight Operations Inspector Kapil Manglik, and FOI Lokesh Rampalhas been mandated to identify the root causes behind the operational breakdown. The panel will closely examine manpower planning, fluctuating crew rostering systems and the airline's readiness to implement the latest duty period and rest norms for pilots. Announced by DGCA chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai on December 5, the panel will also review IndiGo's compliance with the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation provisions. This includes assessing gaps admitted by the airline and fixing accountability for planning failures that resulted in widespread disruptions. With inputs from PTI/ANI.
