India's largest carrier, IndiGo, is grappling with a severe and prolonged operational crisis that has now stretched into its sixth consecutive day, leading to regulatory crackdown and widespread passenger anger. The airline's parent company, InterGlobe Aviation, has assured that its Board is doing "everything possible" to manage refunds for the thousands of cancelled flights.
Regulatory Crackdown and Massive Disruptions
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken stringent action against the airline's top management. The aviation regulator issued show cause notices to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and accountable manager & chief operating officer Isidro Porqueras. The DGCA has demanded their responses within 24 hours, citing a "systemic failure" in the airline's operations.
According to the notices, the widespread flight disruptions point to "significant lapses in planning, oversight and resource management." The DGCA directly held CEO Elbers responsible, stating he "failed in your duty to ensure timely arrangements for conduct of reliable operations."
The scale of the crisis is staggering. On Saturday alone, IndiGo cancelled over 800 flights, following more than 1,000 cancellations the previous day. This has left countless travellers stranded and caused airfares on alternative routes to skyrocket. The airline's operational metrics collapsed, with its on-time performance at six major metro airports plunging to a mere 3.7% on Friday.
Passenger Outrage and Government Directives
Amid mounting frustration, the government has issued strict directives to IndiGo. The airline has been ordered to process refunds for all cancelled flights by 8 pm on Sunday and to reunite passengers with their separated baggage within the next two days. Authorities have also prohibited airlines from charging rescheduling fees from affected passengers and instructed IndiGo to establish dedicated support and refund facilitation cells.
A survey conducted by LocalCircles revealed the depth of passenger discontent. It found that 87% of the respondents, all of whom were IndiGo passengers, support invoking the Class Action provision of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 against the airline for service deficiencies. This legal provision allows a large group of affected consumers to collectively sue a company for issues like mismanagement.
Airline's Response and Crisis Management
In response to the escalating situation, InterGlobe Aviation has constituted a Crisis Management Group to monitor and handle the fallout. IndiGo has stated that it is working to stabilise its operations and assist customers, with refunds being handled on "priority." The airline added that its teams are focused on minimising delays and restoring normal flight schedules.
The DGCA has warned that further regulatory action will be taken if its instructions are not followed. This unprecedented crisis, marked by a near-total operational breakdown over several days, poses a significant challenge to IndiGo's reputation and highlights critical vulnerabilities in its planning and resource management systems.
