Senior expat management official in IndiGo may face regulatory action: Report

A senior expatriate member of IndiGo’s top management, not the chief executive officer, is reportedly under official examination, and potential regulatory measures are expected. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has assembled a panel of eight flight operations inspectors (FOIs) to supervise IndiGo’s activities until the carrier’s operations reach stability. This intervention follows recent disruptions and concerns over management decisions that have led to a reduction in flight schedules, creating ripple effects within the Indian aviation sector.

According to a report in Times of India, the FOI panel has identified vulnerabilities in IndiGo’s operational framework, particularly within its operations control centre (OCC), which has emerged as a significant weakness. Following the OCC system's collapse, the airline began issuing only two-day rosters for pilots, restricting their ability to plan ahead. 

The two-day roster system will continue till the collapsed OCC system is revived, said people familiar with the matter. The source stated that now it is not only about finding the pilots but also ensuring that the pilots are trained to operate in low visibility conditions at airports that will see fog, including in Delhi, Amritsar and Lucknow.

Flight operations at Hindon Airport have been reduced by half, with arrivals and departures dropping from 25 each in summer to 12 each. Two more IndiGo flights have been suspended until February. Operational limitations at Hindon, including restricted hours and limited parking, have compounded these challenges. 

Rival carriers have explored options to offset the impact of IndiGo’s reduced schedules. Air India has offered to operate up to 275 additional flights this month, while Akasa Air, having fully utilised its current fleet, has requested clarity from authorities on how long IndiGo’s cuts will persist. However, industry sources caution that these measures can only provide temporary and partial relief. 

The operational woes have also affected regulatory personnel, with several FOIs expressing discontent following the removal of four colleagues for allegedly failing to prevent the recent disruptions at IndiGo.