DGCA summons IndiGo to explain mass delays, cancellations, seeks mitigation plan

The aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), reportedly informed on Wednesday that it is investigating IndiGo flight disruptions and has asked the airline to submit the reasons for the current cancellations and delays, as well as its plans to mitigate them, PTI reported.

The DGCA stated that it is investigating the situation and working with the airline to implement measures aimed at reducing cancellations and delays, hence minimising inconvenience to passengers.

"IndiGo has been asked to report to DGCA, Headquarters, to present the facts leading to the current situation along with plans to mitigate the ongoing delays & cancellations," the news agency reported, quoting a statement by the regulator.

Why were IndiGo flights cancelled?

Indigo, the country's largest airline, reportedly cancelled over 100 flights across various airports on Wednesday, with many services delayed due to significant operational disruptions caused by several factors. The airline announced scheduled adjustments for the next 48 hours to restore normal operations.

"A multitude of unforeseen operational challenges including minor technology glitches, schedule changes linked to the winter season, adverse weather conditions, increased congestion in the aviation system and the implementation of updated crew rostering rules (Flight Duty Time Limitations) had a negative compounding impact on our operations in a way that was not feasible to be anticipated," IndiGo said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

IndiGo operations

Meanwhile, IndiGo provided a summary of its recent operational performance to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, stating that a total of 1,232 flights were cancelled in the month of November, ANI reported.

While 755 flights were cancelled due to crew constraints or Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), 258 flights were cancelled due to' airport or airspace restrictions. Additionally, 92 flights were cancelled because of an ATC (Air Traffic Control) system failure, and 127 flights were cancelled for other reasons, the report noted.

"A large share of cancellations arose from crew / FDTL compliance and airport/airspace / ATC-related factors, many of which lie beyond the operator's direct control," the news agency quoted the DGCA as saying and added that IndiGo's overall on-time performance (OTP) for November was 67.7%, down from 84.1% in October.

Implementation of FDTL norms

The regulator stated that it offered further clarification to IndiGo for streamlining the implementation of the updated FDTL norms, PTI reported.

The proposed corrective measures comprise strengthening crew planning and rostering while complying with FDTL standards, improving coordination with ATC and airports to address capacity constraints, and enhancing turnaround and disruption management processes.

The initial phase of these FDTL norms began in July, while the second phase, limiting night landings to two instead of six, was enforced from November 1.

The norms were originally set to be implemented from March 2024, but airlines, including IndiGo, called for a phased roll-out, citing extra crew requirements.

(With inputs from agencies.)