'Action is coming': Aviation Minister blames IndiGo for countrywide air travel chaos

Speaking to NDTV, Naidu stressed that punitive measures against the airline were inevitable. “It’s not ‘could be’, it will be. There will be action on them, because this is not something we want to entertain. We are very clear that the focus of the ministry is the passenger,” he said.

Calling the situation unacceptable, the minister added, “It is our job, our responsibility, to ensure that these kinds of incidents don’t happen next time. So we are very, very clear that action is going to follow the inquiry.”

Naidu said the fault lay squarely with IndiGo, noting that no other airline had faced comparable disruptions under the new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms introduced in November. “We have been thoroughly monitoring, we have been discussing with the airlines, and we have given them multiple forums to tell us if such a situation is developing.”

He said a committee has been constituted to probe the disruptions and identify those responsible. “It is being said FDTL guidelines were the major reason, but other airlines also have to follow the norms, and they have no issue,” he added.

The disruptions worsened sharply on Friday, prompting the central government to launch a formal inquiry.

Nearly 500 flights scheduled for the day were reportedly cancelled, according to The Indian Express, with all domestic departures from Delhi — IndiGo’s biggest hub — suspended until midnight.

Scenes of confusion and overcrowding played out at major airports in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Ahmedabad as stranded travellers sought alternatives.

Naidu said the government remained “fully alert” to the difficulties being faced by passengers and was in continuous consultation with airlines and stakeholders to stabilise operations.

“Every necessary measure, including regulatory relaxations as permitted by the DGCA, is being taken to restore normalcy and minimise public inconvenience at the earliest,” he said.

IndiGo, India’s largest carrier and long known for its punctuality, has been grappling with a severe shortage of cockpit crew, triggering widespread cancellations and delays this week.

The crisis has delivered a significant blow to the airline’s reputation built over nearly two decades of operations.