New Delhi, December 7 (IANS). The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has held IndiGo’s top management responsible for the frequent flight disruptions. DGCA has issued a show cause notice to CIO Peter Albers.
The aviation regulator has sought a response from them within 24 hours as to why action should not be initiated against IndiGo after its massive delays and cancellations disrupted air travel across the country.
The regulations the airline failed to comply with were Section 42A of the Aircraft Rules 1937 and civil aviation requirements relating to fatigue management of pilots.
“Whereas operational failures on such a large scale show major lapses in planning, oversight and resource management and prima facie non-compliance with rules on the part of the airline,” according to the DGCA notice.
“As the CEO, you are responsible for correcting the deficiencies and management of the airline, but you have also failed to discharge your duty in making timely arrangements for reliable operations and providing necessary facilities to passengers,” the notice said.
The DGCA noted “large-scale disruptions” in IndiGo’s roster, causing “enormous inconvenience” to passengers. It also said the large-scale operational disruption points to “major lapses in planning, monitoring and resource management”.
On Friday, IndiGo CEO Albers said that given the size and complexity of their operations, it will take some time to return to full normalcy, “which we expect between December 10 and 15.”
Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu, speaking to IANS, said the steps have been taken to save passengers from further hassles amid the ongoing crisis of cancellations and delays with IndiGo.
He also said that after investigation, any necessary strict action will be taken against the airline.
The minister said, “We are conducting a thorough investigation of IndiGo. We will take whatever necessary steps are necessary very carefully. The ministry has also formed a team of four members for this.”
To curb the sudden rise in ticket prices following huge disruptions in IndiGo, the Civil Aviation Ministry has imposed a limit on domestic airfares across the country. This limit ranges from Rs 7,500 to Rs 18,000 depending on the length of the route.
–IANS
SAK