IndiGo CEO may be 'sacked if necessary', says Civil Aviation Minister

Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu also suggested that the crisis at IndiGo may have been 'intentional'

Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu has said that strict action will be taken against IndiGo, which may even include removal of Chief Executive Pieter Elbers "if necessary". In an interview with The Times of India, the minister said an investigation will also be launched into the aviation regulator the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

 

His remarks came as IndiGo, India’s largest airline, operating more than 60 per cent of domestic flights, has been facing major disruptions, cancelling hundreds of flights and leaving thousands of passengers stranded since early December due to issues related to the Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) norms. These guidelines, introduced to improve safety, extend rest hours, restrict night duties, and mandate 48 hours of weekly rest.

 

‘Will sack IndiGo CEO if needed’

On the possible removal of the CEO, Naidu said, “If it comes to that, definitely I will do it. I will charge them with all the penalties that are there. Definitely, I will look into all of those aspects... For the past seven days, I have not slept properly. I’ve just been in the office conducting continuous review meetings.”

 

Earlier, Business Standard reported that some IndiGo board members were against the idea of Elbers’ removal, saying such a move would not be easy as finding a CEO capable of managing such extensive operations at short notice would be difficult. They also expressed confidence that Elbers, who has handled multiple tumultuous situations in the past, will be able to stabilise operations and help steer a turnaround.

 

However, one board member noted that pressure from the government or mounting financial losses could intensify calls for his removal. 

IndiGo crisis may be intentional: Naidu

Naidu also suggested that the crisis may have been "intentional". In the interview, he said, “There seems to be some kind of intentional thing. The way they have been operating, the way they have control over their operations, this shouldn’t have happened... Why has it come at that specific point in time? How did it lead us into that situation? This is something we are thoroughly investigating.”

 

Reiterating that the FDTL norms were introduced after consultations with all stakeholders, Naidu said that strict action will be taken against the airline, and that such action will set an example that the aviation ministry cannot be taken lightly.

‘I’m responsible as a minister’

In the interview, Naidu apologised for the difficulties faced by passengers and accepted responsibility as the minister to resolve the disruptions quickly. “I’m apologising. I’m also responsible as a minister to ensure that this sector is flying high... When these kinds of incidents happen, it puts extra responsibility on me,” he said. 

 

According to The Times of India, the probe will also examine how the DGCA handled the situation.