Kumar Bahukhandi
The government stated that restoring normal operations at the airport was its top priority. (Photo: PTI)
Amidst the Indigo crisis, government sources say that PM Modi has been fully briefed on the situation. The PMO is in direct contact with Indigo’s CEO, Pieter Elbers, and is increasing pressure to normalise flights as soon as possible.
Traffic services across the country have been severely disrupted for the past four or five days. Indigo Airlines has been the most affected. This company holds a 60 percent share of the Indian market in air travel. Following the introduction of the new regulations, Indigo’s operations were thrown into disarray, and hundreds of flights had to be canceled or were delayed.
All airlines are in a bad state, but Indigo, having captured a large market share, is feeling the impact more acutely. Flights were cancelled everywhere – in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, and Kolkata – causing considerable inconvenience to passengers.
According to government sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been given a detailed briefing on the situation concerning the airlines. The PMO is in constant communication with Indigo’s CEO, Pieter Elbers, and the airline has been given a clear message to normalize flight operations as soon as possible.
It is believed that Elbers has requested a grace period of about ten days from the government to stabilise the aviation network.
According to government officials, the airline may face penalties in cases where regulatory lapses, operational disruptions, or passenger inconvenience have been found.
Meanwhile, the company management has requested some temporary relief in the Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) rules. They argue that the current rules are too stringent and are affecting pilot shift planning.
The government has made it clear that its priority is to alleviate passenger inconvenience and stabilise air operations. The continuous monitoring and communication from the PMO indicate that the situation is being closely watched at the highest level.
Reviews of aircraft deployment and slot management are also underway at the ministerial level to ensure that flight operations return to normal at airports across the country.
A meeting was held at 6 PM between senior Indigo officials and the Ministry of Civil Aviation. This meeting was crucial for reviewing the airline’s performance and passenger convenience.
