Mumbai: IndiGo reportedly cancelled more than 220 flights at Delhi and Mumbai airports Sunday as large-scale disruptions entered the sixth day, prompting urgent monitoring by the airline’s board and scrutiny from aviation authorities.
The cancellations and delays over the past several days have caused hardships to thousands of passengers. Sources said at least 112 flights were cancelled at the Mumbai airport and 109 flights at Delhi airport.
Meanwhile, the board of Interglobe Aviation, IndiGo’s parent company, has set up a Crisis Management Group (CMG) to closely monitor developments. The airline said Sunday that the group has been meeting regularly and receiving continuous updates from the management on steps being taken to restore normalcy.
“The Board of Directors of Interglobe Aviation Limited (IndiGo) met on the first day that the problem of cancellations and delayed flights arose. The members received a detailed briefing from the management on the nature and extent of the crisis,” IndiGo said in a statement.
The initial meeting was followed by a session limited to board members, during which it was decided to form the CMG. The group includes Chairman Vikram Singh Mehta, Board Directors Gregg Saretsky, Mike Whitaker and Amitabh Kant, and CEO Pieter Elbers.
The board said it is doing everything possible to address the challenges faced by customers and ensure refunds are processed.
After cancelling around 1,600 of its 2,300 daily flights Friday, IndiGo recorded a reduction in disruptions Saturday, with cancellations dropping to about 800, according to sources. The airline said it operated 1,500 flights Saturday.
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and COO and Accountable Manager Isidro Porqueras Saturday received DGCA notices seeking explanations within 24 hours over the large-scale operational failures. The regulator said the disruptions indicate significant lapses in planning, oversight and resource management, and noted that the primary cause was the airline’s inadequate arrangements to meet revised requirements under the approved Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) scheme.
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu held a “serious meeting” with Elbers in the national capital Saturday to review the situation. Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha and DGCA chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai also attended the meeting. The immediate priority is to restore normal operations and ensure prompt refund of tickets, a senior official said. The airline has been directed to comply with the revised FDTL within a set timeframe.
On Friday, the DGCA set up a four-member inquiry panel to ascertain the reasons behind the cancellations and recommend mitigation measures. The committee, comprising Joint Director General Sanjay K Bramhane, Deputy Director General Amit Gupta, Senior Flight Operations Inspector Captain Kapil Manglik and Flight Operations Inspector Captain Rampal, will submit its findings within 15 days.
As part of measures initiated Saturday to stabilise operations, the ministry capped airfares and directed the airline to ensure complete ticket refunds for cancelled or delayed flights by 8 pm Sunday.
PNN & Agencies
