IndiGo has been forced to cancel thousands of flights in December amid a persistent rostering issue — sparking widespread outrage and multi-agency scrutiny. CEO Pieter Elbers was grilled by a four-member panel on Friday while the DGCA sacked multiple inspectors overseeing IndiGo operations. The airline has also appointed a team led by Captain John Illson to analyse the recent crisis and submit its report to the IndiGo Board. The developments came even as the airline said
“The objective is to conduct an independent root cause analysis of the recent operational disruption, besides opportunities for improvement. This decision follows the recommendation of the Crisis Management Group constituted by the IndiGo Board. As part of its assessment, the CMG advised commissioning an Independent expert review in the matter,” the airline explained in a statement.
The board of InterGlobe Aviation — the parent of IndiGo — had already set up a crisis management group after the operational disruptions began on December 2. IndiGo Chairman Vikram Singh Mehta had in a video message earlier this week said that the board had decided to involve external technical experts to work with the management and help determine the root causes that led to the disruptions.
Who is Captain John Illson?
The US-based expert is a former airline captain who had previously served as a senior advisor to the Federal Aviation Administration and worked to develop strategies for enhancing FAA safety oversight systems. According to details shared on his LinkedIn profile, Illson has previously worked in senior roles pertaining to aviation safety with various organisations — including a a stint as the chief of the Operational Safety Air Navigation Bureau at the United Nations aviation body ICAO.
“Captain Illson brings more than four decades of aviation experience across the FAA, ICAO, IATA and major global carriers. With an illustrious track record in global air transport, he brings extensive expertise in global aviation strategy, customized consulting, safety leadership, setting international standards, and new aircraft technologies,” the IndiGo statement reiterated.
CEO Elbers grilled by DGCA
The announcement comes on the day IndiGo Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers and Chief Operating Officer, Isidre Porqueras are being grilled before a four-member panel, set up by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation with a mandate to identify the root causes of widespread operational disruptions at the leading domestic carrier.
The mandate of the panel comprising Joint Director General Sanjay Brahamane, Deputy Director General Amit Gupta, senior Flight Operations Inspector Kapil Manglik, and FOI Lokesh Rampal, includes assessing manpower planning, fluctuating rostering systems, and the airline’s preparedness to implement the latest duty period and rest norms for pilots, which came into effect from November 1 this year.