Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Dec 9: The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Tuesday ordered a 10 per cent reduction in IndiGo’s flight operations, escalating the government’s response after the airline faced major disruptions triggered by a severe pilot shortage under newly implemented flight duty limitation rules.
The decision came just hours after aviation regulator DGCA instructed the carrier to cut its operations by 5 per cent. The Ministry opted for a stricter curtailment, citing the need to stabilise the airline’s strained network.
Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu said the move was essential to halt the spiralling cancellations.
“The Ministry considers it necessary to curtail the overall IndiGo routes, which will help stabilise the airline’s operations and reduce cancellations. A 10 per cent curtailment has been ordered,” he announced.
Despite the reduction, IndiGo will be required to maintain connectivity to all destinations, without withdrawing from any city. The airline must also strictly adhere to fare caps and ensure passenger convenience across the board, the Minister added.
Naidu noted that thousands of passengers had suffered chaos and delays over the past week due to what he characterised as IndiGo’s “internal mismanagement” — including poor crew scheduling, flawed flight planning, and inadequate communication. While an inquiry is underway, the Ministry summoned IndiGo’s top leadership again to assess its corrective measures.
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers updated the Ministry on Tuesday, confirming that all refunds for flights canceled until December 6 had been processed. The airline was directed to fast-track the remaining refunds and baggage deliveries.
IndiGo, which dominates Indian aviation with a 65% market share, had been approved for 15,014 weekly departures this winter — the busiest travel period of the year. However, the pilot shortage led to the cancellation of 951 flights in November out of the 64,346 scheduled, stranding thousands of travellers nationwide.
Air India remains a distant second with a 27 per cent market share.
The Ministry’s intervention marks one of the strongest actions yet against the country’s largest carrier, as authorities attempt to prevent further disruption during peak travel season.