No airline, however large, will be permitted to cause hardship to passengers: Aviation Minister Naidu

No airline, however large, will be permitted to cause hardship to passengers through planning failures and non-compliance with regulations, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said on Tuesday asserting that IndiGo was being accountable for the mass disruptions in its flight schedules.

Making a statement in Lok Sabha, he said "strict and appropriate action will be taken" against IndiGo for the flight disruptions that have affected passengers across the country.

The minister said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has already issued notices to IndiGo and that the airline is being held fully accountable for the chaos caused by its internal crew-rostering failures.

"Safety in civil aviation is completely non-negotiable," he said, adding that IndiGo had assured to comply with the Revised Flight Duty Time Limitations directed by the DGCA.

Naidu said despite these assurances, prima-facie it was observed that internal rostering disruptions led to large-scale cancellations, causing inconvenience to thousands of passengers.

"The government is determined to build a more robust and competitive aviation ecosystem. Through our policies, we are encouraging more new airlines to start and operate in India, ensuring fair access to airport capacity and eliminating any possibility of a duopoly controlling connectivity and pricing in our skies," he said.

"More airlines mean more choice, more affordability and more resilience for passengers," the minister said.

He said the government will remain vigilant until full normalcy is achieved and will continue to ensure that every passenger in India travels safely, comfortably and with the respect they deserve.

IndiGo's daily flights had fallen drastically to 706 on December 5, recovered to over 1,800 flights on Monday and were expected to rise further on Tuesday, the minister said. He said IndiGo flight schedules are stabilising and all other airlines continue to operate smoothly across the country.

"IndiGo was ordered to issue refunds promptly and more than Rs 750 crore has already reached passengers," the minister said.

He said airports across the country are reporting normal conditions, with no crowding or distress.

"Refunds, baggage tracing and passenger support measures remain under the supervision of the ministry. Directorate General of Civil Aviation has issued show-cause notices to IndiGo's senior leadership and commenced a detailed enforcement investigation," Naidu said.

He said depending on the outcome, strict and appropriate action empowered under the Aircraft Act and Rules - will be taken.

"No airline, however large, will be permitted to cause such hardship to passengers through planning failures, non-compliance or non-adherence to statutory provisions," Naidu said.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the minister's statement, opposition parties staged a walkout in Lok Sabha.

Naidu said the ministry has advised the regulator DGCA to act immediately and inquiry orders and show-cause notice to CEO and COO of IndiGo were issued.

"Also, IndiGo has been directed to restructure its operations, add reserve crew capacity, improve passenger handling and restore normal schedules without delay. Enhanced oversight on the ground continues," he said.

Naidu said passengers' interests have been at the centre of every decision taken by the Government, which intervened to cap fares after sudden demand spikes and opportunistic pricing.

He said refunds have been issued to passengers seeking the same and rebooking of tickets was done without any additional charges.

"We are monitoring each and every case of baggage handing over and ensuring that communication with passengers is timely and dignified. As informed by IndiGo, the process of refunds, baggage handover are at its final stages. Our 24×7 Control Room continues to assist passengers directly whenever needed," Naidu said.