Amid IndiGo chaos, Aviation Ministry reviews winter fog preparedness

Amid the ongoing IndiGo flight chaos, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Friday (December 12) held a review meeting with airlines to assess their preparedness for the winter fog season.

Full compliance with SOPs

Naidu, in a post on X, stated that all key stakeholders, DGCA, AAI, airport operators, airlines and CISF took part in the meeting, adding that they were instructed to fully comply implement strict SOPs for fog operations.

Also Read: DGCA sacks four inspectors over IndiGo flight chaos

The minister further stated that to ensure smooth operation, real-time data exchange, activation of war rooms and deployment of CAT-II/III compliant aircraft with qualified crew should be the key focus.

"Chaired a comprehensive review meeting today to assess preparedness for the upcoming fog window of the winter schedule with all key stakeholders, including DGCA, AAI, airport operators, airlines and CISF. All stakeholders have been instructed to ensure full compliance, fix accountability and implement strict SOPs for fog operations,” said Naidu.

Emphasis on real-time data exchange

“To maintain smooth operations, emphasis has to be laid on real-time data exchange, activation of war rooms and deployment of CAT-II/III compliant aircraft with qualified crew. Clear directions have been issued to ensure safe, seamless and well-coordinated operations, along with timely communication of updates to passengers to help them prepare well in advance. Each and every passenger is important and any instance of inconvenience will be addressed with clear accountability," he added.

DGCA sacks four Flight Operations Inspectors

Earlier, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) dismissed four Flight Operations Inspectors, according to sources. These officials were responsible for assessing IndiGo’s preparedness for the new pilot rest rules.

Also Read: Flight Insight Why IndiGo is just the tip of India’s monopoly iceberg | Talking Sense With Srini

Flight Operations Inspectors oversee airline safety, pilot training and operational compliance, and are hired on five-year contracts during which they function solely as auditors. Their role includes carrying out periodic inspections to ensure adherence to all regulatory requirements.

The decision comes amid mounting criticism of the DGCA after IndiGo cancelled hundreds of flights due to pilot shortages. The regulator is facing questions over how it evaluated IndiGo’s pilot requirements before permitting 10 per cent more flights in the winter schedule, and how it monitored the airline’s implementation of revised pilot rest norms. The civil aviation ministry has now ordered a 10% cut to the airline’s winter operations.

Summon to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers

IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers has been summoned before an inquiry panel on the same day the airline announced Rs 10,000 travel vouchers for affected passengers. He is also scheduled to appear before the DGCA.

Also Read: Indigo flight chaos: Is DGCA working efficiently? | Capital Beat

Despite ongoing disruptions, IndiGo said it expects to operate 1,950 flights carrying nearly 3 lakh passengers.

Alongside the dismissals, the Civil Aviation Ministry has set up an eight-member oversight team to monitor airport and airline functioning nationwide.