IndiGo crisis caused by rostering issues, says Modi government
What's the story
The recent crisis at IndiGo was due to "crew rostering and internal planning system" problems, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu told the Rajya Sabha today. He said the issue stemmed from an operational problem created by IndiGo and not from the new Aviation Management System Software (AMSS), as some had speculated.
Clarification
Minister clarifies AMSS's role in IndiGo crisis
Kinjarapu emphasized that the AMSS system "did not cause the IndiGo issue," and that his ministry had been in constant touch with IndiGo before the crisis. He said, "On November 1, the ministry had a meeting. IndiGo sought some clarification and it was given. Yet they failed to maintain their roster."
Impact
IndiGo's flight cancellations affected nearly 6L passengers
The minister also expressed regret over the inconvenience caused by the cancellations, acknowledging their financial and emotional toll on travelers. He said that almost 5.86 lakh passengers were affected by these cancelations and ₹5.6 crore had been refunded to customers. The government is taking this matter seriously and has ordered an inquiry into IndiGo's rostering practices and adherence to regulatory directives.
Updates
Government to provide daily updates on IndiGo's situation
Kinjarapu promised that the government would provide daily updates on the status of IndiGo. He also called for more competition in India's aviation sector, saying, "This is the time to start a new airline in India." The inquiry ordered by the Centre will look into IndiGo's rostering practices and its compliance with regulatory directives.