New Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu has announced that IndiGo, India’s largest airline, will reduce its flight schedule by 10 percent to stabilize operations following days of widespread cancellations and delays.
The directive comes after IndiGo faced severe disruptions due to the implementation of revised Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) norms for pilots, which created crew rostering challenges. The airline has cancelled hundreds of flights nationwide, leaving passengers stranded and sparking chaos at major airports.
Minister Naidu confirmed that IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers was summoned to the ministry to provide updates. Elbers assured that refunds for all affected flights up to December 6 have been processed. Despite the cutback, IndiGo will continue to serve all destinations, though with fewer flights.
Earlier, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had ordered a smaller 5 percent reduction, but the ministry expanded it to 10 percent, calling the measure necessary to restore normalcy.
The reduction is expected to ease scheduling pressure and reduce last-minute cancellations, though industry experts warn it may lead to higher fares on certain routes due to reduced capacity.
