Isidro Porqueras, Chief Operating Officer of IndiGo, on Wednesday, 17 December, appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee, which is investigating the recent flight disruptions that left thousands of passengers stranded across the country.
Earlier, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had also constituted a four-member panel to summon the airline's CEO, Pieter Elbers, and COO Isidro Porqueras as part of its probe into the airline's operational disruptions.
The probe is focused on the mass flight cancellations and delays that severely disrupted air travel across the country, causing widespread inconvenience to passengers.
Officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), as well as representatives from the Federation of Pilot Associations, have also been called to appear before the panel, according to ANI.
What is the panel tasked with?
The panel's mandate is to identify the root cause of the pan-India disruptions that left thousands of passengers stranded. As part of its probe, the committee will assess IndiGo's manpower planning, crew rostering systems and the airline's willingness to implement the latest norms on pilots' duty times and mandatory rest periods.
Additionally, the panel, which was constituted by the DGCA on 5 December, will review IndiGo's level of compliance with the latest Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms, including the analysis of gaps admitted by the carrier in a bid to ascertain accountability for the failures that caused the crisis.
The panel has been instructed by the DGCA to submit its report within 15 days, PTI said in a news report.
IndiGo's current status of operations
After days of widespread disruption, IndiGo's flight operations have begun to stabilise, with the airline stating the latest cancellations are not linked to operational issues.
More than 50 IndiGo flights were cancelled across the country on Tuesday due to adverse weather conditions, especially dense fog and low visibility in northern India, which significantly disrupted air traffic. Airlines and airport authorities had cautioned passengers to expect further delays.
India’s largest airline, IndiGo, maintained that the current round of cancellations and delays is driven by poor weather, as fog-related restrictions impact take-offs and landings, particularly during early morning and late-night hours.
The disruption was most pronounced at major hubs, including Delhi, where winter fog continues to pose operational challenges.
