Aviation regulators in India have ordered IndiGo to cut 10 percent of its planned flights following a week of travel chaos brought on by the airline’s failure to properly adhere to new rules government pilot schedules. IndiGo’s nationwide meltdown forced it to cut thousands of flights, straining tens of thousands of passengers across the county.
The government originally called for a 5 percent cut but later raised that to 10 percent after regulators met with IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers. The reduction in flights will cut at least 220 daily flights from IndiGo’s network, based on the number of services India’s largest airline operated before new pilot rest and duty rules took effect on 1 November. “The Ministry considers it necessary to curtail the overall IndiGo routes, which will help in stabilising the airline’s operations and lead to reduced cancellations,” regulators said on social media.
IndiGo cancelled more than 1,000 flights on Friday alone to reboot its network. Elbers said earlier on 9 December that operations were “fully stabilised”. The airline has faced criticism for failing to plan for the new rest periods and duty rules, leaving planes grounded and disrupting travel plans.
The regulator told IndiGo to reduce flights on routes where rivals operate and avoid those where it holds a monopoly. No end date was specified for the cuts, according to a Reuters report.
IndiGo’s mass cancellations of flights amid the busy travel season have caused a public outcry, forcing the government to intervene. The airline has been granted exemptions from the new rules, but the disruption has continued, with more than 600 flights cancelled on Sunday.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu told members of parliament that safety in air travel would remain “non-negotiable” and that “no airline will be permitted to cause such hardship to passengers through planning failures and non-compliance with statutory provisions…The disruption caused by IndiGo’s operational failures is now rapidly stabilising. All other airlines continue to operate smoothly across the country.” Naidu also said the government would encourage “more new airlines to start and operate in India.”
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