The Competition Commission of India has taken suo motu cognizance of the massive IndiGo flight disruptions during earlier this month, leading to cancellations of hundreds of flights on a single day. The CCI has ordered further probe into the IndiGo chaos.
In a statement, the regulator said they have decided to conduct further probe into IndiGo's massive flight disruptions across the country. "The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has taken cognizance of Information filed against IndiGo in the context of the recent flight disruptions witnessed in the aviation sector, across various routes," it said.
"Based on the initial assessment, the Commission has decided to proceed further in the matter in accordance with the provisions of the Competition Act, 2002," the regulator stated. IndiGo's sudden flight disruptions had hit aviation services across the nation. The airline controls 60 per cent of India's domestic aviation market.
IndiGo, which operates over 2,000 flights a day cancelled flights impromptu, after it struggled to comply with newly introduced Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) for pilots. Though announced in 2024, IndiGo allegedly failed to make amendments in its schedule or pilot roster as per new guidelines, leading to massive cancellations.
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According to one of the complaints, accessed by Reuters, the airline allegedly cancelled a passenger's ticket and replacement fare quoted was significantly higher. The complaint, filed by Kartikeya Rawal, a lawyer, alleged his ticket was cancelled and the replacement fare quoted was significantly high.
The major disruptions underscored the risks of a near-duopoly in the world's fastest-growing aviation market. Both IndiGo and Air India together hold a more than 90 per cent share of the crucial market. Earlier on Thursday, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said the airline has stabilised its operations and it operated 2,200 flights on Thursday.
