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Informist, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025

 

--Source: Govt mulls forming parliamentary panel on IndiGo svcs' disruption

--Source: Parliament panel to review recent disruption in IndiGo flight svcs

--Source: Panel to suggest penal action against IndiGo for disruption in svcs

 

By Narayana Krishna

 

HYDERABAD - The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation is considering forming a parliamentary committee to investigate the recent nationwide disruption in flight services of InterGlobe Aviation Ltd., which operates under the IndiGo brand. The committee will examine the root cause of the crisis and recommend possible penal action against the airline.

 

"The government is considering all possibilities. Any action must withstand legal scrutiny. The minister will speak on this once the action plan is ready," an official from the civil aviation ministry told Informist.

 

The official said while the ministry had weighed the possibility of imposing a heavy penalty, perhaps as high as INR 10 billion on the airline, it was obvious IndiGo would challenge such a penalty in the courts. Hence, the government is of the view that levying penalties without evaluating the legal implications may not be prudent, and it wants a firm action that sends a clear message to all operators and restores confidence among travelers.

 

As several Members of Parliament have demanded stronger accountability and called for a deeper probe, including the formation of a parliamentary committee, the government is weighing every option. The proposed committee may examine regulatory oversight, airline operating practices, and the risk of such incidents recurring.

 

IndiGo, the country's largest airline, faced one of its worst operational crises in the first week of December after new Flight Duty Time Limitations rules came into effect. Under the revised norms that mandate longer breaks and rest periods between flights, airlines would need more pilots to manage their operations.

 

However, it is now clear that IndiGo did not recruit the additional pilots and staff it would need. This led to massive flight cancellations, delays, long queues, and nationwide disruption of air travel as IndiGo has a more than 50% share of the domestic air travel market. There has been strong speculation in the media whether this was a move planned by IndiGo to avoid adhering to the new rules which would raise costs and cut profit.

 

Regulators and rating agencies flagged "significant planning lapses" and have called the crisis a credit-negative for the carrier. IndiGo has since apologised, offered refunds and free rescheduling of flights, and has begun restoring operations. But the episode has raised broader questions about workforce planning, regulatory preparedness, and the fragility of India's fast-growing aviation ecosystem.

 

For the quarter ended September, the company reported a net loss of INR 26.14 billion on a revenue of INR 185.55 billion. At 1000 IST, shares of InterGlobe Aviation traded 0.6% lower at INR 4,894 on the National Stock Exchange.  End

 

Edited by Vandana Hingorani

 

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