The Central government is reportedly preparing to ask for the removal of IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers, following the airline’s poor handling of new regulations on pilot rest hours, according to a report by NDTV.
The new rules, which enforce mandatory rest periods for pilots under a revised duty-time framework, were introduced to boost safety, but IndiGo’s implementation faltered badly. The result was massive cancellations and thousands of passengers stranded across the country. Angry over the chaos, senior officials summoned IndiGo representatives for a high-level meeting this evening. In addition to leadership changes, a hefty financial penalty is under consideration.
Massive disruptions, nationwide fallout
IndiGo, which carries nearly two-thirds of domestic travellers, triggered widespread disruption with hundreds of flight cancellations since yesterday, with over a thousand flights cancelled on the worst day. Many travellers were left stranded at airports, forced to pay significantly more for last-minute tickets with other airlines or cancel their journeys altogether.
The sudden breakdown in service drew sharp criticism from passengers and officials alike. In a public apology, CEO Pieter Elbers admitted the airline failed to meet its own standards, calling yesterday “the most severely impacted day.”
Industry insiders say the chaos exposed serious planning flaws at IndiGo. The airline reportedly underestimated how many pilots it would need under the revised rest-hour rules, making it unable to staff flights as required. The government noted that no other airline faced similar problems when rolling out the new rest-time regulations. A spokesperson for the aviation ministry said the disruption was “unacceptable” and stressed that passenger welfare was the top priority.
Government considers flight caps
With the scale of disruption shocking policymakers, officials are reportedly weighing further action, including limiting the number of flights IndiGo may operate until the crisis is resolved. This would be the sternest measure the government has taken against India’s largest airline. A formal inquiry into the entire episode has already been ordered.
Ram Mohan Naidu, the aviation minister, had confirmed that action would follow but had refrained from detailing the penalties at the time. “There will be action because this is not something we want to entertain,” he told media. “We are very clear that the focus of the ministry is the passenger.”
In response, the government has temporarily suspended the enforcement of the rest-hour regulation, offering a brief window for the airline industry to stabilise. Officials said they expect normal flight operations to resume within two to three days.