Blame govt, not just IndiGo for aviation crisis: CPI-M leader Rahim

CPI-M leader A A Rahim on Wednesday held the union government responsible for the recent IndiGo crisis, arguing that it was the direct result of unchecked privatisation and deregulation that has turned India's aviation sector into a duopoly.

He urged the government not to dilute Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules to accommodate the airline.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Rahim said the crisis was not IndiGo's alone. "The sole culprit behind this huge crisis is the Union government. This is the direct outcome of the government's neo-liberal economic policies, privatisation and deregulation of the Indian aviation sector," he said.

Pointing to market concentration, Rahim said IndiGo now operates 65.6 per cent of all flights while Air India handles 25.7 per cent. "More than 90 per cent of the Indian aviation sector is controlled by just two bosses, IndiGo and Tata," he said.

The CPI-M leader dismissed the government's promise that Air India's privatisation would transform the airline.

"In terms of safety, quality of service, and quality of aircraft, the situation is extremely poor. The government created a misconception that the public sector is useless, while private players are capable of miracles," Rahim said.

He accused Air India of exploiting the IndiGo crisis. "What is Tata's Air India doing during this so-called IndiGo crisis? It is profiting from human distress," he alleged.

Citing his own experience, Rahim said despite a government order last Friday capping airfares at ₹18,000 for routes above 1,500 km, he found a Delhi-Thiruvananthapuram economy class ticket priced at ₹64,783 for same-day travel on Wednesday morning. "What control does the government have? The government has no control over private carriers," he said.

Rahim warned against diluting FDTL rules or granting exceptions to IndiGo.

He called for strong regulatory mechanisms to control airfares and ensure passenger safety in a duopolistic market.