The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has reduced the flight schedule of IndiGo by 5 per cent after the airline faced massive flight disruptions over the past one week.
IndiGo, the country's largest airline that generally operates around 2,300 flights per day, has cancelled over 1,500 flights since December 1, leading to chaos and confusion at all major airports and prompting protests by passengers.
According to a DGCA statement, the flights have been cut across sectors, particularly on high-demand, high-frequency routes. The airline has also been directed to submit a revised schedule to the aviation regulator by 5 pm on Wednesday.
The DGCA directive came a day after Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu said that the government would "definitely" reduce the IndiGo slots during the ongoing winter schedule.
"We will definitely reduce the number of routes, which are in IndiGo's (winter) schedule. The order to this effect will be issued. This will be a kind of penalty on the airline as they will not be able to fly on those (curtailed) routes," Naidu told DD News on Monday.
He said the routes, which will be reduced from IndiGo's schedule, will be given to other carriers. He added that when the airline demonstrates the ability to operate them, they will be returned to IndiGo.
The DGCA had earlier issued a showcause notice to IndiGo authorities, saying the large-scale operational failures indicated significant lapses in planning, oversight and resource management.
The DGCA noted that there was prima facie a non-compliance with the provisions of Aircraft Rules, 1937 (Rule 42A) and relevant Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) on duty periods, flight time limitations and prescribed rest periods for crew.
It also alleged lapses in passenger care, noting that the airline did not provide the mandated information or facilities to affected travellers following cancellations, delays and denied boarding, violating CAR provisions regarding passenger rights.
