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AP, NEW DELHI
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Chaos gripped major Indian airports yesterday, as passengers of the country’s biggest airline, IndiGo, scrambled to cope with widespread flight disruptions and cancelations triggered by newly enforced rules limiting working hours for crew and pilots.
Scenes of frustration played out, as passengers slept on airport floors, lined up for hours at customer service counters and waited without clear communication from the airline.
Yesterday was the fourth straight day of disruptions, as the low-cost carrier struggles with new regulations that mandate longer rest periods, and limit night flying hours to address concerns about fatigue and safety.
Passengers wait near the IndiGo Airlines kiosk at Chennai International Airport in Chennai, India, yesterday.
Photo: AFP
The first phase of the rules came into effect in July, while the second phase began last month. IndiGo struggled to adapt its rosters in time, resulting in widespread cancelations and disruptions.
More than 300 IndiGo flights on Thursday were grounded, while several hundred were delayed. A passenger advisory from Delhi airport stated that all domestic IndiGo flights would remain canceled until midnight.
Other major airlines, including Air India, have not faced similar issues so far.
IndiGo operates about 2,300 flights daily and controls nearly 65 percent of India’s domestic aviation market.
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers in an internal e-mail to employees this week apologized, and cited technology glitches, schedule changes, adverse weather conditions, heightened congestion and the implementation of the new rules as the reasons for flight disruptions.
The Indian Civil Aviation Ministry said the disruptions arose primarily through misjudgement and planning gaps as the airline implemented phase two of the new rules, adding that the airline acknowledged that the effect on crew strength exceeded its expectations.
IndiGo has sought temporary exemptions in implementing the new rules and told the government that corrective measures were underway. It has indicated the operations would be fully restored by Feb. 10 next year.
More cancelations are expected in the next couple of weeks, and the airline said it would reduce its flight operations from Monday to minimize disruptions.
