Air India official sends unity message amid IndiGo crisis: ‘Rivals in business, but partners in global connectivity’

As IndiGo reels from major operational disruptions, Air India’s Head of Global Airport Operations, Jayaraj Shanmugam, has issued a public call for “restraint and professionalism” among airlines — a plea particularly resonant amid IndiGo’s ongoing collapse of services.

In a post shared on LinkedIn, Jayaraj said he had sent a note to Air India’s airport team leaders about what it truly means to be an “aviation professional.” He explained that while “systems falter, weather disrupts, and occasionally, an airline experiences a public service meltdown — cascading delays, IT outages or communication breakdowns” which impact passengers, the correct response is not to criticise or mock a competitor’s misfortune. Instead, the focus should be on empathy, support and self‑reflection.

“When we see a competitor grappling with a major operational disruption, our first reaction shouldn't be to post, mock, or comment.”

In the message, he urged colleagues to view such moments as opportunities — “Use the event as a catalyst for internal review and team briefing.” For Jayaraj, maintaining industry‑wide dignity and solidarity strengthens “our entire industry’s commitment to service recovery and operational integrity.”

These remarks come as IndiGo — which controls roughly 60 percent of India’s domestic air‑travel market — cancels hundreds of flights daily across major hubs including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

The carrier’s meltdown, linked to recent enforcement of stricter pilot rest‑time rules, has stranded thousands of passengers and triggered formal warnings and regulatory scrutiny from the aviation watchdog DGCA.

Amid flights grounded, baggage delayed and refunds mounting, the public and regulators alike have lambasted IndiGo for “planning failures” and “misjudgement”.

Jayaraj further underlined that while airlines compete fiercely in business, they remain united in their broader mission of ensuring “global connectivity."

“We are rivals in business, but we are partners in the mission of global connectivity. Upholding this code strengthens our entire industry's commitment to service recovery and operational integrity. Let's lead with professionalism. Offer support. Focus on learning. And always direct our energy toward building up our own standards, not tearing down others,” he added.