India’s civil aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has terminated four senior Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs) for lapses linked to the widespread disruptions at IndiGo earlier this month. The decision follows a detailed internal review after the airline cancelled thousands of flights, leaving passengers stranded across major airports.
The inspectors removed from service are Rishi Raj Chatterjee, Deputy Chief Flight Operations Inspector; Seema Jhamnani, Senior FOI; and two FOIs, Anil Kumar Pokhariyal and Priyam Kaushik. All four were appointed on contract and were responsible for monitoring IndiGo’s operations, including pilot training, flight safety procedures, crew deployment and regulatory compliance. Their contracts were ended immediately, and they have been asked to return to their parent organisations.
The DGCA initiated action after concluding that oversight failures contributed to or failed to prevent the large-scale operational breakdown at the country’s largest airline. IndiGo had struggled to manage crew rosters following new pilot duty-time and rest regulations introduced on November 1. The changes required airlines to modify scheduling models, but IndiGo reportedly did not revise its systems adequately, resulting in a severe pilot shortage during peak demand.
In response to the crisis, the DGCA has stationed two independent oversight teams at IndiGo’s headquarters in Gurugram. These teams are examining the airline’s pilot strength, scheduling practices, crew utilisation, standby reserves, simulator training status, and the handling of refunds and compensation for affected passengers. The regulator has instructed the airline to submit daily operational reports until further notice.
IndiGo has also been ordered to cut its flight schedule by around 10 percent for the coming weeks to stabilise operations and prevent further cancellations. The DGCA has asked the airline to strengthen pilot recruitment and improve planning to ensure compliance with safety norms and duty-time rules.
The regulator has summoned IndiGo’s senior leadership, including its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer, to explain the causes of the disruption and present a roadmap for recovery. The move to dismiss inspectors marks one of the toughest internal actions taken by the DGCA in recent years, underscoring the seriousness of the crisis and the need for stronger regulatory oversight.
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