Priyanka Chaturvedi slams IndiGo disruptions, flags 'duopoly in air' as pilots' body, airline issue statements

New Delhi [India], December 4 : Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Thursday criticised IndiGo over large-scale flight delays and cancellations, alleging that the airline's operational disruptions have caused massive inconvenience to passengers.
In a post on X, Chaturvedi said, "Indigo Airlines operations have been badly hit, leading to massive passenger distress. I have repeatedly raised concerns over the duopoly that prevails in the air, which leads to higher air fares, poor infrastructure, and flight cancellations."
"It's a shame and I hope the aviation minister will give a suo moto statement on this issue in the parliament," she added.
Meanwhile, India's low-cost carrier IndiGo stated on Wednesday, attributing recent flight delays and cancellations to several operational factors.
In its statement, an IndiGo spokesperson said, "We have had several unavoidable flight delays and some cancellations in the past few days due to various reasons including technology issues, airport congestion, and operational requirements."
The spokesperson added, "Our teams are working diligently to ensure that operations normalise as soon as possible. Furthermore, we are offering alternate flight options or refunds to affected customers, as applicable. We regret the inconvenience caused to our valued customers due to these disruptions."
The clarification came after significant flight disruptions at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), where several flights were delayed, diverted or cancelled, causing chaos among passengers.
In addition, the Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) on Thursday reiterated concerns over the nationwide disruptions, stating that the DGCA must examine pilot availability while approving airline schedules under the Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS).
In its statement, ALPA India said, "The situation concerning the recent flight cancellations across India, allegedly attributed to pilot shortage due to new Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) norms, raises significant questions about the airline's management, regulatory oversight by the DGCA, and market fairness."
The pilots' body added, "The core question is whether airlines' current pilot shortage is due to a failure in planning or a calculated strategy. It is more likely a combination of factors... This situation points to a failure of proactive resource planning by dominant airlines, potentially exacerbated by an effort to pressurise the regulator to dilute the promulgated FDTL norms for commercial gain."