Unorthodox staffing strategy backfires at IndiGo: Pilots’ body

WITH THE ONSET OF THE BUSY WINTER FOG SEASON -- WHICH NATURALLY DEMANDS HIGHER PILOT AVAILABILITY -- INDIGO STILL EXPANDED ITS WINTER SCHEDULE "WITHOUT RECRUITING OR TRAINING ADDITIONAL PILOTS", RAISING SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Pilots’ body Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has alleged that IndiGo, despite getting a two-year preparatory window before the full implementation of new flight duty and rest period norms for cockpit crew, "inexplicably" adopted a "hiring freeze.

FIP said it has urged the safety regulator, DGCA, not to approve airlines’ seasonal flight schedules unless they have adequate staff to operate their services "safely and reliably" under the New Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms.

In a letter to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) late Wednesday, FIP urged the DGCA to consider reevaluating and reallocating slots to other airlines, which have the capacity to operate them without disruption during the peak holiday and fog season if IndiGo continues to "fail in delivering on its commitments to passengers due to its own avoidable staffing shortages.”

FIP also said it would like to categorically clarify that the recent spate of IndiGo flight cancellations cannot be attributed to the Delhi High Court-mandated FDTL regulations for pilots.