Crackdown on Indigo: Four officials who oversaw flight operations sacked by DGCA
These four inspectors were the ones responsible for supervising IndiGo’s operations, but the DGCA has not explained why they were removed.
PTC News Desk: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has fired four flight operations inspectors as part of its action after the massive flight disruptions at IndiGo. This happened on the same day the regulator called IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers for questioning about how the airline plans to restore normal operations and address the staffing issues that led to the collapse.
These four inspectors were the ones responsible for supervising IndiGo’s operations, but the DGCA has not explained why they were removed. Flight operations inspectors usually ensure that airlines follow safety and operational rules. Elbers has also been asked to appear before a four-member high-level committee formed by the DGCA for two days in a row.
The committee has been asked to find out what caused IndiGo’s meltdown, which led to thousands of flight cancellations last week and affected lakhs of passengers. Since IndiGo controls nearly 65% of India’s domestic market, the disruptions created even more chaos.
Meanwhile, the DGCA has started closely tracking IndiGo’s flights and refund process from the airline’s headquarters. Officials have been told to send daily reports as the government increases its scrutiny. The Centre has also ordered IndiGo to cut 10% of its flights while it works to stabilise its operations.
The worst day of cancellations was December 5, when more than 1,000 flights were grounded. Since then, the situation has improved. On Thursday, IndiGo operated nearly 1,950 flights, and its on-time performance — which had dropped to just 30% last week — has now risen to above 92% over the past two days.