Reuters
—
Air travel across India was disrupted for four days on Friday after IndiGo canceled more than 1,000 flights, including all departures from New Delhi, prompting the government to announce special relief measures for the country’s largest airline.
To make air travel safer, Indian authorities have introduced strict new regulations that limit pilots’ flying time and impose stricter restrictions on night flight operations.
However, IndiGo admitted that it had failed to properly plan ahead of the November 1 deadline to introduce the measures. Air travel is nearing its December peak, with widespread flight cancellations stranding thousands of travelers this week.
In his first public appearance since the crisis began, IndiGo CEO Peter Elbers apologized to the airline’s customers, adding: “We understand that these disruptions… have shaken[customers’]confidence in IndiGo’s reliability.”
Elbers said it would take time to return to “fully normal conditions”, adding that it could be from December 10 to December 15.
At IndiGo’s request, India’s civil aviation authority on Friday granted temporary exemptions from some of the new rules to help deal with the crisis.
The head of India’s aviation regulator has called on pilots to cooperate during the crisis, stressing that the agency is committed to implementing pilot rest and service rules “in letter and spirit”.
IndiGo had earlier told Indian authorities that operations were not expected to be fully restored until February 10, but said on Friday there should be “gradual improvement” from Saturday.
Other major Indian airlines, such as Air India and Acasa, have not experienced any flight cancellations due to the new rules.
Elbers said “well over” 1,000 flights were canceled on Friday.
Delhi airport announced that all IndiGo departures for the day had been cancelled, although sources estimated the number to be 235.
The airline also canceled 165 flights in Mumbai, 102 in Bengaluru and 92 in Hyderabad, said an airport official who asked not to be named.
At many airports across the country, crowds of stranded passengers expressed their frustration and argued violently with officials.
Social media platforms and local media were flooded with videos of angry tourists.
“Down with Indigo! Overthrow with Indigo!” X’s video post showed a group of passengers shouting at the Bangalore airport.
An earlier X post showed dozens of young children sitting inside a Delhi airport terminal. “Kids waiting for Indigo (flight) since 4am… hungry, tired and sleepy,” the caption reads.
Indigo shares closed 1.2 per cent lower on Friday. The stock fell 9% for the week, its worst performance since June 2022. India’s main opposition parties are demanding that the issue be debated in parliament.
New pilot duty regulations state that pilots can only make two night landings a week, up from six previously.
On Friday, India’s civil aviation regulator suspended this provision for IndiGo until February 10. The company was also temporarily exempted from rules governing maximum flight duty periods for pilots who fly some night flights.
However, the government did not exempt Indigo from the new, stricter rules that increase the weekly compulsory rest for pilots by 12 hours to 48 hours.
IndiGo has announced that it will waive all cancellations and rebookings for travel between December 5 and December 15. The company also said it had arranged ground transportation and thousands of hotel rooms for stranded customers.
