IndiGoing, going, gone!

Crash landing of India’s largest carrier should help shed arrogance and laxity

Alok Tiwari

In a market infamous as graveyard of airlines, the rise of IndiGo over the last two decades has been amazing. Air Deccan may have introduced low cost flying to India, but it was IndiGo that truly taught us to fly. It turned flying the default mode of travel for the middle class. At a time when country’s airports still looked ramshackle, the airline exuded an air of professionalism. Though it was low cost it never looked low brow. From brand new planes to smartly turned-out flight attendants to an enviable on-time performance, IndiGo set the benchmarks. It not only grew at breakneck speed but also operated profitably, a no minor feat in the airlines business, especially in India. This earned it a jaw-dropping two thirds market share of Indian domestic market.

Along with success came a certain cockiness. Polite condescension is what some staff tended to display, especially during difficult times. Nobody minded it much though as long as it got them from A to B reliably and on time. It seemed the good times were set to roll. So, when flight disruptions began happening because of new flight duty rules last week, it looked like temporary turbulence that will quickly pass. But soon the whole thing spiralled into easily the worst aviation nightmare the country has ever been through.

As flight cancellations continued, IndiGo’s frontline staff was clueless. Airports across the country were packed with frustrated flyers. Passengers remained stranded without food, without transportation, without hotel accommodation in unfamiliar cities. Many missed job interviews, exams, funerals, important meetings and connections for onward travel. A couple could not make it to their own wedding reception. Fares on other airlines skyrocketed to unheard of levels. People packed into buses, trains, took out personal cars. It soon became a thing you would tell your grandchildren about.

The government woke up as the chaos unfolded and “temporarily” rolled back the new rules, giving IndiGo a much-needed breather. It also capped fares on all airlines to protect passengers from being ripped off. Even then things seem to be taking forever getting back to normal. Over a week into the mess, flights continue to be cancelled by the dozens. IndiGo has assured it would be back cruising by Dec 15, but nobody is holding their breath. The much-touted professionalism of IndiGo lay in tatters.

What went wrong? It was a staff shortage after the new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) came into force this month. These are rules that mandate the duty hours and rest requirements of crew, especially pilots. The earlier rules were not in line with international norms and were resulting in pilots being pushed too hard. This is essentially a safety issue. If the flying crew is overworked, they are more prone to make mistakes in the sky. New rules require more rest between flights and hence more pilots.

But the rules did not come suddenly. All the airlines had nearly two years’ notice, more than enough for them to hire adequate numbers. Why the country’s most professional looking carrier failed to do so is anybody’s guess. The way crisis has manifested itself is deeply troubling, especially its sudden onset. Even if IndiGo was not prepared with adequate staff on the day new rules came, it surely must have known about it weeks in advance. Why did it not alert the authorities and seek extension? Or did it and folks at DGCA slept on it? Why did nobody warn passengers of potential disruption? Government has ordered IndiGo to trim its winter schedule 10% now. Why was it not done before?

If the airline had begun preparing and taking on extra staff, then it is surprising it did not begin implementing flying by new rules well in advance. It appears to have waited until the last flight of the last day of the deadline and then tried to switch to new regime overnight, a recipe for disaster. Most importantly, what was the regulator doing? Surely, it could not have notified the new rules and assumed everything would roll out perfectly on the appointed day. It must have been in the conversation with the carriers about progress on hiring. It is very concerning if the staff shortage is the main reason for disruption and DGCA had no clue about it.

A chastened government has promised an investigation. But the investigation should not be limited to acts of omission and commission by IndiGo. It should go through the role of DGCA and the folks who seem asleep in the cockpit there. Both government and the airlines have talked big about turning India into an aviation hub. Government has been mollycoddling the airlines towards that end. Last week’s crisis has put the country back several years in that effort. It must now focus on fostering adequate competition. A duopoly is not right.

Rolling back new rules and capping fares are knee-jerk reactions. Instead focus should be on making airlines build capacity to deal with such situations and protocols that protect passengers. It is not enough to merely refund the fare. How come nobody is talking about making IndiGo compensate the passengers for the harrowing experience they were put through? Refund would suffice if this were a force majeure disruption. Instead, this seems to be the result of arrogance and ineptitude. It should not go unpunished. The consequential damages and harassment people suffered should also be considered. Passenger rights should be clearly defined and protected.

Both IndiGo and Air India are dreaming of growing beyond carrying passengers to and from India and becoming truly global airlines. That will not happen with the casual approach both IndiGo and the regulator displayed. Cutting costs should not mean cutting corners. Following global standards will undoubtedly make flying a bit more expensive. But it is inevitable if India’s grand aviation dreams are to be realized.

This column appeared in Lokmat Times on Dec 11, 2025