FLIGHT CHAOS AND REGULATORY FAILURE: WHY INDIGO'S CRISIS DEMANDS ACCOUNTABILITY

India's largest airline, IndiGo, has cancelled over 1,000 flights earlier this month, resulting in thousands of passengers being stuck at key airports.

- DR. ALISHA VERMA

Stranded passengers with their luggage, as IndiGo passengers continue to be affected amid flight disruptions and cancellations, at Indira Gandhi International Airport, in New Delhi.

The disruption, initiated on December 2 which arose from a new pilot duty requirement which were released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) earlier in 2024. On 5th December, India's aviation authority granted IndiGo a onetime exception from pilot night duty regulations following the chaos created by cancellation of flights due to a shortage of pilots.

A CRISIS UNFOLDS

The trouble started on 2nd December, when IndiGo began cancelling hundreds of flights daily. By December 4, cancellations had crossed 550 flights. On December 5 & 6, nearly 400 each more were grounded. Airports in Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Chennai bore the brunt, with travelers reporting delays of up to 24 hours, missing luggage, and inadequate assistance.

WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?

At the heart of the crisis lies the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) introduced by the DGCA earlier in 2024. According to the new regulations, Pilots are required to get 48 continuous hours of weekly rest, an increase from the previous 36 hours. The night hours are now from 12 AM to 6 AM, increased by one hour from the previous 12 AM to 5 AM. Each pilot is permitted a maximum of two-night landings weekly. Pilots are prohibited from undertaking more than two consecutive night shifts. Airlines are required to modify schedules and provide quarterly tiredness assessments. The modifications have rendered crew scheduling more complex for IndiGo, as the airline conducts several late-night flights.