'Monopoly model': Rahul Gandhi slams Centre over IndiGo flight cancellations
What's the story
Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi has slammed the central government for IndiGo's ongoing operational issues, which have led to over 500 flight cancellations on Friday. In a post on X, he blamed the disruptions on a "monopoly model" in India's aviation sector and called for "fair competition." "IndiGo fiasco is the cost of this government's monopoly model. Once again, it's ordinary Indians who pay the price - in delays, cancellations and helplessness," he wrote.
Flight cancelations
IndiGo's operational disruptions and passenger concerns
IndiGo has been facing operational issues since Tuesday due to cabin crew shortages and other reasons. It admitted that the disruptions arose "primarily from misjudgment and planning gaps" in implementing Phase 2 of the FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitations) norms. The airline has sought temporary exemptions from certain Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) for its A320 fleet until February 10, 2026, promising that operations will be fully stabilized by then.
Regulatory review
Naidu holds meeting
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu held a high-level meeting on Thursday to discuss the widespread flight disruptions and expressed dissatisfaction with IndiGo's handling of the new FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitations) norms implementation. Naidu "stressed that ample...time had been available to ensure a seamless transition to the new regulatory requirements." These rules increased the amount of mandatory rest per week for pilots from 12 to 48 hours. In addition, pilots are now only allowed two nighttime landings per week.
Parliamentary discussion
Shiv Sena MP raises issue in Rajya Sabha
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha, citing "urgent public importance." She demanded a statement from Naidu on IndiGo's operational disruptions. "The matter is of urgent public importance as thousands of passengers were stranded, normal airport functioning was affected, and recurrent large-scale disruptions in airline services highlight a need for immediate government intervention, accountability measures, and safeguards to prevent future occurrences. I request that the Minister make a statement," she added.