Centre orders high-level inquiry into IndiGo fiasco, total normalcy expected in 3 days

The government on Friday said it has decided to institute a high-level inquiry into the massive IndiGo disruption, which will examine what went wrong at the airline, determine accountability wherever required for appropriate actions, and recommend measures to prevent similar disruptions in the future -- ensuring that passengers do not face such hardships again. 

As thousands of passengers faced harrowing time at airports across the country, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said in a statement that “we expect that flight schedules will begin to stabilise and return to normal by tomorrow. We anticipate that complete restoration of services will be achieved within the next three days”.

To support passengers during this period, airlines have been instructed to provide regular and accurate updates through enhanced online information systems, enabling passengers to monitor real-time flight status from their homes, said the minister.

“In case of any flight cancellations, the airlines will issue full refunds automatically, without the need for passengers to make any requests. Passengers who are stranded due to prolonged delays will be provided hotel accommodation arranged directly by the airlines,” the minister added.

The ministry said it has taken urgent and proactive measures to address the ongoing disruption in flight schedules, particularly those of Indigo Airlines.

The Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) orders of the DGCA have been placed in abeyance with immediate effect.

“Without compromising on air safety, this decision has been taken solely in the interest of passengers, especially senior citizens, students, patients, and others who rely on timely air travel for essential needs,” said the minister.

In addition to this, several operational measures have been directed to ensure that normal airline services are restored at the earliest and that the inconvenience caused to travellers is significantly reduced, he added.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has also established a 24×7 control room that is monitoring the situation on a real-time basis to ensure swift corrective action, effective coordination, and immediate resolution of issues as they arise.

Picture Courtesy: IANS