IndiGo appoints external expert to identify, assess root cause of flight operations disruption
IndiGo crisis: The decision to appoint the expert comes after the recommendation of the Crisis Management Group (CMG) constituted by the board.
- Dec 12, 2025,
- Updated Dec 12, 2025 4:08 PM IST
Crisis-hit IndiGo has appointed an external aviation expert to help them identify the root cause and assess the disruption that led to the cancellation of thousands of flights. The airline is under the aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) as well as the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s (MoCA’s) scanner for the mass flight cancellations that left tens of thousands of passengers stranded at airports across the country.
The company stated that the board has approved the appointment of Chief Aviation Advisors LLC, led by Captain John Illson, a veteran aviation expert, to conduct an independent expert review and assessment.
Captain Illson has more than four decades of aviation experience across the FAA, ICAO, IATA and major global carriers, with expertise in global aviation strategy, customised consulting, safety leadership, setting international standards, and new aircraft technologies.
The decision to appoint the expert comes after the recommendation of the Crisis Management Group (CMG) constituted by the IndiGo board. “With the Board’s approval now in place, the review will begin at the earliest, and the independent expert reviewer will submit a comprehensive report to the Board upon completion,” said an IndiGo spokesperson.
Meanwhile, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) is examining whether IndiGo violated competition norms. According to an official, various aspects, such as the overall dominant position, dominance in particular routes, and whether there is abuse of dominance, will be looked into by the fair trade watchdog.
While there has been no formal complaints against IndiGo, CCI has taken on the matter suo motu.
Section 4 of the Competition Act addresses abuse of dominance, which can be either exploitative or exclusionary. Exploitative abuse includes actions such as excessive pricing, while exclusionary abuse involves denial of market access. The CCI first conducts a detailed examination of the available information to determine if there is prima facie evidence of a violation of competition norms. If such evidence is found, the regulator orders a formal investigation into the matter. Being dominant in the market is not anti-competitive by itself. However, abusing that dominance is a violation of competition laws.
Crisis-hit IndiGo has appointed an external aviation expert to help them identify the root cause and assess the disruption that led to the cancellation of thousands of flights. The airline is under the aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) as well as the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s (MoCA’s) scanner for the mass flight cancellations that left tens of thousands of passengers stranded at airports across the country.
The company stated that the board has approved the appointment of Chief Aviation Advisors LLC, led by Captain John Illson, a veteran aviation expert, to conduct an independent expert review and assessment.
Captain Illson has more than four decades of aviation experience across the FAA, ICAO, IATA and major global carriers, with expertise in global aviation strategy, customised consulting, safety leadership, setting international standards, and new aircraft technologies.
The decision to appoint the expert comes after the recommendation of the Crisis Management Group (CMG) constituted by the IndiGo board. “With the Board’s approval now in place, the review will begin at the earliest, and the independent expert reviewer will submit a comprehensive report to the Board upon completion,” said an IndiGo spokesperson.
Meanwhile, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) is examining whether IndiGo violated competition norms. According to an official, various aspects, such as the overall dominant position, dominance in particular routes, and whether there is abuse of dominance, will be looked into by the fair trade watchdog.
While there has been no formal complaints against IndiGo, CCI has taken on the matter suo motu.
Section 4 of the Competition Act addresses abuse of dominance, which can be either exploitative or exclusionary. Exploitative abuse includes actions such as excessive pricing, while exclusionary abuse involves denial of market access. The CCI first conducts a detailed examination of the available information to determine if there is prima facie evidence of a violation of competition norms. If such evidence is found, the regulator orders a formal investigation into the matter. Being dominant in the market is not anti-competitive by itself. However, abusing that dominance is a violation of competition laws.