Action planned against IndiGo… Flight schedule to be cut, slots to be given to other airlines

New Delhi: Amidst the recent large-scale flight cancellations and operational disruptions at IndiGo Airlines, the central government has indicated that it will take major steps against the airline. Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu clarified on Monday that the government is going to cut IndiGo’s winter flight schedule to ensure operational stability and minimize passenger inconvenience.

The Civil Aviation Minister said that IndiGo currently operates about 2,200 daily flights, but “we will definitely reduce this.” This action comes after incidents between December 1 and 8, where thousands of passengers faced problems such as flight cancellations, long waits, and baggage delays.

According to the government, Rs 745 crore has been refunded to passengers for 730,655 PNRs that were cancelled during this period. Also, out of approximately 9,000 bags stranded with the airline, 6,000 have been delivered to passengers, while the remaining bags are targeted to be delivered by Tuesday. Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu will respond to the IndiGo crisis in the Lok Sabha tomorrow at 12 PM.

What did IndiGo say in its reply to the DGCA?
Meanwhile, the DGCA had also issued a show-cause notice to the airline. Although IndiGo cited technical glitches, changes in the winter schedule, bad weather, air traffic congestion, and new crew rostering as reasons in its reply, the regulator is still considering further action.