DGCA stations staff at IndiGo HQ, orders on-site checks at 11 airports

The DGCA has launched inspections at 11 airports and deployed officers at IndiGo's headquarters as part of intensified monitoring amid continuing flight disruptions

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has intensified scrutiny of IndiGo as the airline continues to grapple with widespread disruptions. It has deployed personnel at the carrier’s headquarters to oversee operations and ordered on-site inspections at 11 airports.

What oversight steps has the DGCA announced for IndiGo’s operations?

The regulator on Wednesday announced it is constituting an oversight team of eight senior captains to review the airline’s fleet details, pilot strength, crew utilisation, unplanned absences, daily flight volumes and sectors affected by crew shortages.

 

Two members of the team, along with two government officials, will be stationed at the airline’s corporate office in Gurugram to monitor "cancellation status – domestic and international, refund status, on time performance, compensation to passengers and baggage return".

 

Which airports will see DGCA on-ground inspections, and what will be checked?

The aviation regulator also ordered senior officials to conduct on-ground inspections over the next two to three days at Nagpur, Jaipur, Bhopal, Surat, Tirupati, Vijayawada, Shirdi, Cochin, Lucknow, Amritsar and Dehradun.

 

"In view of passenger inconvenience caused due to large-scale disruptions in the operations of IndiGo Airlines at various airports across the country, it has been decided that DGCA officers shall carry out immediate on-site inspections at the 11 airports," the DGCA said.

 

The inspections will assess safety readiness, airline responsiveness and passenger-handling systems during the ongoing disruption. Officials will examine operational and safety aspects, delays and cancellations, terminal congestion, queue management, staffing levels and the functioning of airline help desks.

 

They have also been asked to review information-sharing practices for delays and cancellations, as well as special assistance for senior citizens, children and pregnant women. Each inspecting officer must file a report to the DGCA’s Director of Operations within 24 hours of the inspection.

 

“Both these teams will submit a daily report,” the DGCA said.

 

DGCA seeks accountability from airline

The DGCA has also summoned IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers to appear on Thursday and provide a full account of the disruptions, along with detailed data and updates.

 

The development comes as part of the DGCA’s efforts to prevent a repeat of the recent chaos across airports, as hundreds of IndiGo flights were cancelled daily due to a shortage of flight staff, with little or no prior information to flyers

 

The disruption was triggered last week after IndiGo was unable to find sufficient staff following the rollout of the new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms, which mandate longer rest breaks for crew members.

 

The company on Tuesday said operations had “fully stabilised”, with more than 1,800 flights taking to the skies. However, it still cancelled over 450 flights on Tuesday and around 220 on Wednesday.

 

(With PTI inputs)