India orders IndiGo to trim 10% of flights even as airline insists operations have 'normalised'
India’s chief carrier, IndiGo, has claimed its operations are back to normal after canceling more than 3,000 flights last week, a disruption officials attributed to flawed pilot rostering that left thousands of travelers stranded.
In a decisive response, regulators mandated a 10% reduction of IndiGo’s winter schedule—doubling the earlier cut and potentially halting over 200 flights per day. Federal Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu stated that the ministry sees a need to reduce IndiGo’s overall route network to restore stability, while assuring that the airline will still serve all its destinations as listed.
IndiGo has been ordered to submit an updated flight timetable to the aviation regulator by Wednesday. The carrier typically operates more than 2,200 flights daily and accounts for over 60% of India’s domestic market share.
Analysts interviewed by the BBC warn that removing 10% of IndiGo’s daily capacity could aggravate the nation’s broader aviation crunch in the near term, especially since competitors such as Air India and SpiceJet have little to no spare capacity to pick up the slack.
Sanat Kaul, an industry analyst, told the BBC that while the government’s decision might benefit travelers in the long run, costs could rise in the near term.
India’s aviation ministry summoned IndiGo’s CEO, Peter Elbers, on Tuesday to discuss steps taken to address the crisis and how passenger grievances are being handled.
In a video message posted on X (formerly Twitter), Elbers said IndiGo has “fully stabilised” operations.
Shareholders have reacted negatively, with IndiGo’s stock down about 15% since December 1, as investors weigh the potential impact of higher operational costs and crew-related expenses under new regulations.
Aviation expert Mark Martin predicts IndiGo may face further penalties in the days ahead. The government has also instructed the airline to cap fares, speed up refunds, and expedite baggage handovers for affected customers.
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