Amid IndiGo’s flight cancellation crisis, Congress launched a sharp attack on Centre, accusing it of promising “ease of air travel” but delivering a “cease of air travel” that stranded thousands of passengers.
Addressing a press conference, Senior Congress leader Sasikanth Senthil asked whether Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu would take responsibility for the “unprecedented crisis” after India’s largest airline cancelled over 2,500 flights. The debacle occurred due to the airline’s pilot shortage and rostering failures, exacerbated by new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL).
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had to eventually pause the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules in response to the IndiGo disruption, with a government directive to stabilise operations.
‘Aviation sector shrunk to a monopoly’
Posing questions to the government, Senthil asked why it has, in the last 11 years, allowed aviation to “shrink into a monopoly and duopoly instead of building a competitive, diverse sector”.
Calling the chain of events a “government-made disaster, he claimed the crisis had “crushed the aviation sector, endangered passengers, destabilised markets, and exposed the government’s complete disregard for transparency, competition, and public interest.”
‘BJP’s proximity to IndiGo to blame?’
Senthil also accused the government of pursuing “crony capitalism” and said the latter’s close ties to the airline could have contributed greatly to the crisis.
“Why did the DGCA fail to ensure IndiGo complied with the FDTL rules released in January 2024 and partially implemented from July 2025 and fully on November 1? Did the government ever issue warnings or compliance notices to IndiGo, or was the airline protected from enforcement altogether?” he asked.
“Given the electoral bond disclosures showing massive purchases by InterGlobe group entities and its promoter, is the BJP’s financial proximity to IndiGo the real reason behind this extraordinary leniency at the cost of passengers’ safety?” Senthil questioned.
IndiGo has been instructed by the government to set up dedicated passenger support and refund facilitation cells, according to PTI.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has also asked the airline to complete the refund process to all the affected passengers by 8 pm on December 7, Sunday, and not levy any extra charges on passengers’ rescheduling of travel plans.