Safety Non-Negotiable: Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Says Govt Will Fix Accountability On IndiGo Crisis

New Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Tuesday said that the situation arising from IndiGo’s large-scale flight disruptions is stabilising rapidly, with airports now reporting normal passenger flow and no signs of chaos. He reiterated that safety in civil aviation remains “non-negotiable” and assured that strict accountability measures are underway.

Addressing the Lok Sabha, Naidu said IndiGo had shown major recovery in operations over the past 48 hours. The airline, which operated only 706 flights on December 5, managed to scale up to 1,800 flights on Monday, and is expected to increase the number further.

"I would like to inform the House that the disruption caused by IndiGo's operational failures is now rapidly stabilising. All other airlines continue to operate smoothly across the country. Refunds, baggage tracing, and passenger support measures remain under supervision by the Ministry", he said.

Naidu emphasised that the government’s priority remains passenger convenience, dignity, and safety. "Operations are stabilising fast, safety remains fully enforced, IndiGo is being held accountable, and long-term measures are underway to make India’s aviation ecosystem more passenger-centric", he noted.

The minister also confirmed that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued show-cause notices to IndiGo’s senior leadership, including the CEO and Chief Engineering Executive Officer, and initiated a detailed enforcement investigation.

"Depending on the outcome, strict and appropriate action, as empowered under the aircraft rules and act, will be taken. No airline will be permitted to cause hardship to passengers through planning failures or non-compliance with statutory provisions", Naidu said.

He added that the recent chaos stemmed from IndiGo’s internal rostering disruptions linked to the rollout of revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms aimed at preventing pilot fatigue.

"India remains committed to the highest international safety standards. Revised FDTL norms were adopted in phases after consultations. IndiGo had assured preparedness for the winter schedule and compliance with these norms, yet large-scale cancellations occurred", he said.

Naidu further reiterated that the government will intervene-including through fare caps-if any airline attempts opportunistic pricing or disregards passenger welfare.

“No airline, however large, can be allowed to function at the cost of passenger safety or convenience”, he stated, adding that the government will ensure full accountability.

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