Government Announces Zero Tolerance for Inconvenience to Passengers
Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu said in the Parliament that the government would not spare any airline found inconveniencing the passengers. He made it clear that safety standards in civil aviation can't be compromised. He delivered this message in the Lok Sabha, in reaction to the crisis generated in IndiGo.
The minister said that the operations at airports are slowly coming back to normal. Refunds and the process of lost luggage are in full swing. The DGCA has already issued show-cause notices to IndiGo and initiated a detailed inquiry. He added that the government will take necessary action after reviewing the findings. He also said one thing: that size of airlines does not matter when it comes to accountability, and public inconvenience would not be tolerated. He assured that safety was a non-negotiable priority.
New Pilot Duty Rules and Their Link to the IndiGo Crisis
This recent crisis seems to be linked with new Flight Duty Time Limitation rules. These explain how many hours pilots can work. Expressing concern on the issue, the minister replied that the new guidelines were essential for passenger safety. They were drafted based on scientific assessment of pilot fatigue.
DGCA is implementing the rules in two phases following consultations with all carriers. Phase one will come into effect from July 1, 2025, followed by phase two from November 1, 2025. IndiGo said it would abide by the new set of rules. However, the government discovered that cancellations of services took place as IndiGo failed to adhere to mandatory rostering practices.
Government is Focusing on Public Interest and Sector Competition
Every decision taken by the government has public interest in utmost priority, said the minister. In addition, the government imposed limits on the price of air tickets during this disruption to protect passengers. He further said the government is encouraging more airlines into the sector to prevent monopoly. According to him, this period provides a suitable opportunity for new companies to join the aviation industry.
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