IndiGo Chaos: Who Is John Illson, the US Aviation Veteran Called In to Fix the Airline’s Biggest Crisis?

IndiGo, India’s largest airline, has found itself under intense scrutiny in recent weeks, and not for reasons it would have hoped. In early December, thousands of flights were cancelled, leaving angry and exhausted passengers stranded at airports as the scale of the disruption slowly became clear. The chaos began around December 2, when new pilot duty-time regulations requiring longer rest periods came into force. Caught unprepared by the changes, the airline struggled to adjust, triggering widespread cancellations and delays that rippled across the country.This time, IndiGo has brought in an external expert to take a look at its operations and put lasting fixes in place. The move goes beyond addressing a single rough month, aiming instead to prevent

similar lapses and disruptions in the future.Also Read | IndiGo Chaos: Why India Can’t Freeze Airfares for an Entire Year - Aviation Minister Explains in ParliamentUS-based Captain John Illson will conduct an independent root-cause analysis, the airline said. He will examine the operational disruptions in detail and flag areas where improvements can be made. The decision follows a recommendation by the Crisis Management Group (CMG) formed by IndiGo’s parent company.

Who Is John Illson?

John Illson, who currently heads an aviation analysis consultancy, is a former airline captain with over four decades of experience, spanning major global airlines as well as regulatory bodies.Also Read: DGCA Terminates 4 Flight Operations Inspectors Amid IndiGo Crisis - Who Are They?According to his LinkedIn profile, "Aviation safety consultant leveraging extensive experience in commercial air transport operations, aviation safety oversight, development of international aviation standards, and the implementation of innovative Advanced Air Mobility technologies.”His recent roles include serving as a senior adviser to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), according to his profile. He has also held a key role at the United Nations aviation body, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), where he served as chief of the Operational Safety Air Navigation Bureau.Illson, now in his 60s, holds master’s degrees in public policy and management from the University of Pittsburgh, in addition to a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Georgetown University.IndiGo underlined that Captain Illson brings an “illustrious track record in global air transport.” Earlier, the airline’s parent company, InterGlobe Aviation, had said it would rope in external technical experts to work alongside the management and help identify the root causes behind the operational disruptions.Captain Illson’s appointment comes at a time when IndiGo’s top management, including CEO Pieter Elbers, is facing scrutiny from a four-member panel set up by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The panel is examining key concerns such as manpower planning, changes in rostering systems and the airline’s readiness to implement the new pilot rest and duty-time norms.