DGCA Issues Show Cause Notice to IndiGo CEO Over Flight Disruptions
New Delhi: Aviation watchdog DGCA on Saturday issued show notices to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and Managing Director Isidro Porqueras, seeking clarification within 24 hours on major flight disruptions. According to sources, IndiGo witnessed major operational disruptions with hundreds of flight cancellations and delays for five consecutive days, causing inconvenience to thousands of passengers.
In notices sent to Elbers and Porqueras, the regulator said the large-scale operational failures pointed to significant deficiencies in planning, oversight and resource management.
Porqueras is the Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of IndiGo.
“…as CEO you are responsible for ensuring the effective management of the airline but you have failed in your duty to ensure that arrangements are made in a timely manner to conduct reliable operations and provide necessary facilities for passengers,” the regulator said in the notice sent to Elbers.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) asked Elbers and Porqueras to respond within 24 hours.
The notifications stated that the main reason for the flight disruptions was the failure to provide adequate arrangements to meet the revised requirements for the smooth implementation of the approved FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitations) plan for the airline.
On Saturday, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu along with senior civil aviation ministry officials held a “serious meeting” with Elbers to review the situation and address the issues, a government official said.
The official also said that the authorities will take appropriate action on IndiGo flight disruptions depending on the findings of the inquiry committee.
