DGCA sacks four flight inspectors overseeing IndiGo operations
IndiGo was forced to cancel thousands of flights this month due to inadequate planning for stricter safety regulations.
India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has taken decisive action against four flight inspectors responsible for overseeing safety and operational compliance at IndiGo, the country’s largest airline. The regulators cited negligence in inspection and monitoring as the primary reason for the dismissals, following a month-long operational crisis that left thousands of passengers stranded across India.
IndiGo faced widespread disruption in December after failing to adequately plan for tighter safety regulations, resulting in the cancellation of thousands of flights. The situation reached its peak on December 5, when the airline struggled to manage crew deployment, fleet utilisation, and scheduling, causing significant inconvenience to tens of thousands of travellers. While operations have gradually stabilised in recent days, the incident has prompted intense scrutiny from the DGCA and the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
In response to the crisis, the DGCA has deployed two specialised oversight teams at IndiGo’s headquarters in Gurugram. These teams are tasked with monitoring various aspects of the airline’s operations, from crew management to customer service, ensuring that compliance standards are met. According to sources, the teams are required to submit daily reports to the regulator by 6 pm, providing detailed updates on the airline’s recovery progress.
The first team is focused on the operational side, examining factors such as total fleet strength, pilot availability, crew utilisation in hours, crew under training, split duties, unplanned leaves, standby staff, flights per day, and the total number of sectors affected due to crew shortages. They are also monitoring the average stage length—the distance covered in a single flight leg—and assessing the airline’s network to get a complete picture of overall operations. This detailed scrutiny is aimed at preventing a repeat of the chaos witnessed earlier in the month.
The second team is concentrating on the passenger experience and customer service. Their responsibilities include evaluating the status of refunds issued directly by IndiGo or through travel websites and agents, tracking passenger compensation under Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), monitoring on-time performance, addressing lost baggage issues, and reviewing flight cancellation records. The objective is to restore confidence among passengers while ensuring compliance with regulatory guidelines.
Amid these measures, the DGCA has also instructed IndiGo to reduce its daily operations by 10 per cent. With the airline operating approximately 2,200 flights a day, this reduction will mean cancelling over 200 flights daily. The Ministry believes that curtailing routes temporarily will help stabilise operations, reduce cancellations, and improve crew management, while still covering all destinations previously served.
Following a meeting with IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers, the Ministry posted on X that the 10 per cent reduction is necessary to help the airline regain operational stability. “While abiding by it, IndiGo will continue to cover all its destinations as before,” the statement said, underlining that the move is a temporary measure aimed at balancing safety, efficiency, and passenger convenience.
For IndiGo passengers, the past few weeks have been stressful, with disrupted travel plans, delayed flights, and a backlog of refunds and compensations. For the airline, the crisis has served as a stark reminder of the importance of rigorous crew planning, safety compliance, and operational preparedness. With the DGCA’s intensified oversight and the temporary curtailment of flights, IndiGo now faces the dual challenge of stabilising operations while rebuilding trust with passengers and regulators alike.
The DGCA’s actions signal a firm stance on accountability in India’s aviation sector. By dismissing the inspectors and closely monitoring IndiGo’s operations, the regulator aims to prevent similar disruptions in the future and ensure that airlines prioritise safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance over rapid expansion or commercial convenience.
As IndiGo works to restore normalcy, passengers and industry observers alike will be watching closely to see how the airline navigates this recovery period, with safety and operational efficiency as the central focus. The coming weeks will be critical in determining whether the airline can fully regain passenger confidence and ensure seamless travel across its extensive domestic and international network.