Abhijit Bhattacharyya | Monopoly In Skies Sets Off Flight Trauma For Indians

Every airline flying in the skies of India and those who operate them on both domestic and international routes must know that their top priority is not to make money and profits for their shareholders but to ensure the safety of their passengers. Therefore, both IndiGo (with 63-64 per cent domestic market share) and Air India (28 per cent), which have turned the domestic aviation sector into a dual market (with only two sellers), must ensure that Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules for pilots are treated as an article of faith. If this is not done, a single air disaster killing hundreds of passengers is waiting to happen, causing irreparable damage to their credibility, reputation and trust of millions of Indian travellers.

The current crisis created by IndiGo management is not only extremely despicable but the issue deserves to be strictly addressed by the Government of India at the highest level. The crisis affected the civil aviation ministry and DGCA. Despite putting on a brave face with a belated show-cause notice to the IndiGo CEO and COO, both have a lot to answer for, resulting in a virtual unapologetic defense of the indefensible by the latter.

The harsh truth is that ever since India opened civil aviation to private operators in 1991-1992, the collective outcome has been deplorable and disastrous, mainly due to unchecked greed and blatant lack of intent. As we grapple with the ugly reality of today’s IndiGo-triggered civil aviation turmoil, let us be reminded of the facts and figures regarding the deliberate mischief of the previous batch of private carriers who showed complete disrespect for the aviation regulations of the Government of India.

For context, the CEOs of both IndiGo and Air India run the country’s two largest carriers with no experience of a large domestic aviation market for a continent-sized country. IndiGo’s boss, Pieter Elbers, was previously the CEO of KLM, which has no domestic air traffic in the Netherlands. Air India boss Campbell Wilson was the CEO of low-cost airline Scoot in Singapore, a city-state where all flights are international, operating from Changi Airport, and have no domestic traffic. Clearly, for both, India’s vast domestic sector would be an extremely lucrative prospect.

No wonder both Air India and IndiGo are more keen on money, cash and profits, buying new aircraft, flexing their muscles but frequently facing disruptions in flight operations. The current crisis in Indian aviation created by IndiGo should be an eye-opener for the Indian government. Shortly after Operation Sindoor, about six months ago, when the government asked to reconsider terminating the lease of Turkish Boeing-777s and using Istanbul as a hub, the CEO of IndiGo, which controls a fleet of 434 aircraft, showed unprecedented arrogance and almost refused. He told the media: “We will continue flying to Istanbul and will also extend the lease of Turkish Boeing-777s for six months.” One wonders why the DGCA and the Ministry of Civil Aviation turned a blind eye to this. What gives these foreign CEOs such secret power? Will an Indian CEO of KLM or a Singaporean airline dare to challenge the governments of these countries to operate from Amsterdam or Singapore?

While nearly three dozen so-called aviation operators have damaged India since the 1990s, only one (the former KLM CEO) has dealt a lasting blow. Did the Dutch come to India to oversee the collapse of our civil aviation system?

Now let’s examine the track record of special players in Indian skies. Air Carnival (2016-2017); Air Costa (2013-2017); Air Dravida (2004-2008); Air Mantra (2012-2013); Air Odisha (2011-2019); Air Pegasus (2007-2016); Sahara Airlines (2000-2007); Archana Airlines (1991-1999); City Link Airlines (1992-1993); Cosmos Airlines (1994-1997); Damania Airlines (1993-1997); Deccan Cargo (2009-2011); Dove Airlines (2007-2015); East-West Airlines (1992-1995); Easy Air (2015-2015); Elbee Airlines (1994-1998); Goa Road Aviation (1992-1993); Gujarat Airlines (1995-2001); Take to the Air (2005-2021); Be You First (2021-2023); Hinduja Cargo Services (1996-2000); Indus Air (2006-2007); Jagson Airlines (2005-2010); Jet Airways (1993-2019); Jet Konnect (2009-2014); JetLite (2007-2012); Kairali Airlines (2013-2017); Kingfisher Airlines (2003-2012); Kingfisher Red (2008-2012); MDLR Airlines (2007-2009); ModiLuft (1994-1996); NEPC Airlines (1993-1997); Paramount Airlines (2005-2010); Raj Air (1993-1994); Supreme Airlines (2016-2018); TruJet (2015-2022); UP Air (1995-1998); VIF Airlines (1995-1996).

Does he have any idea what we Indians are doing in civil aviation? Do we realize how bad we are at airline management? An aviation company, like a shopping mall, is a company that can be managed with merchant instinct. Unfortunately, civil aviation is a public transport and service sector and cannot be managed with the mentality of merchants. It is a highly capital-intensive and skilled labor-intensive business, and those responsible must have the ability to withstand unexpected, unforeseen and unforeseen circumstances that can lead to cash outflows of hundreds of millions.

Therefore, no private operator should be allowed to establish or operate an air carrier just to demonstrate its “financial prowess, technological prowess and socio-political connection.” It is time for the Government of India to seriously consider taking over one of the two giants because air transport is a strategic asset, especially for a continental country. A good first step has been taken with IndiGo’s instruction to reduce its flights by 10 per cent, but more needs to be done.

Both the French and Dutch governments hold a large stake in KLM, the former employer of IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers. Singapore Airlines, the Air India CEO’s former unit, is a publicly listed company and is majority-owned by the Singapore government through its investment arm Temaesk Holdings. China’s three major state-owned airline groups – Air China, China Eastern and China Southern Airlines – provide the government with wide flexibility of choice, strategy and action in emergency situations. Today, India’s air passengers are at the mercy of IndiGo and Air India. No private company should be allowed to take over Air India or IndiGo.

Today, Air India (and all Indians) sorely miss JRD Tata and Ratan Tata, stalwarts of exemplary integrity who understood high-tech aviation. Both understood how important passenger flight safety and comfort was. They ran Air India in the spirit of public service and not to fool people. They were “super capitalists”, whereas today’s Tata bosses have a long way to go.

Amid today’s crisis, IndiGo will face harshest possible punishment for its attempts to violate every rule and system like FDTL and CAR and claim exemption from all mandatory requirements. The airline’s reckless expansion of routes, frequency, capacity without manpower was nothing but exploitation of staff, passengers and the country. Such unbridled greed for profit cannot make the country’s skies safe for travelers.

The writer is a life member of the Indian Aeronautical Association and an alumnus of the National Defense College, New Delhi. The views expressed here are personal.