Stranded passengers at Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport following IndiGo flight cancellations.
Credit: PTI
New Delhi: Government on Friday placed the new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms in abeyance with immediate effect to stabilise flight operations after country's biggest carrier IndiGo's operations went into a tailspin in the past four days as it struggled with new roster regulations.
Track LIVE updates on IndiGo crisis here
As over 500 services were cancelled, including all flights from Delhi airport till Friday 11:59 PM, the Ministry of Civil Aviation stepped in to resolve the crisis "without compromising" on air safety, even as it hoped that the operations begin to stabilise and return to normal by Saturday and complete restoration within next three days.
FTDL mandated 48 hours uninterrupted rest a week, only two consecutive night duties and other measures, which were implemented in two phases from July 1 and November 1. The new norms meant airlines had to hire more flight crew, which was on at a slow pace in IndiGo that resulted in the collapse of its services.
Announcing the decision, Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu also announced a high-level inquiry into "what went wrong" at IndiGo, "determine accountability" wherever required for appropriate actions, and "recommend measures to prevent similar disruptions" in the future and "ensuring that passengers do not face such hardships again".
Asserting that the government is "fully alert to the difficulties" being faced by air passengers and remains in continuous consultation with airlines and all relevant stakeholders, he said every necessary measure, including regulatory relaxations as permitted by DGCA, is being taken to stabilise airline operations and alleviate public inconvenience at the earliest possible time.
He said the Ministry has taken "urgent and proactive measures to address the ongoing disruption in flight schedules, particularly those of IndiGo and the FDTL orders of the DGCA have been "placed in abeyance with immediate effect".
"Without compromising on air safety, this decision has been taken solely in the interest of passengers, especially senior citizens, students, patients, and others who rely on timely air travel for essential needs... Passenger care, safety, and convenience continue to remain the highest priority of the government..." he said.
The Minister's statement came hours after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) eased the flight duty norms by allowing substitution of leaves with a weekly rest period, which attracted criticism from a section in the civil aviation sector. It had also given some concessions to IndiGo on night duty norms.
Naidu said airlines have been instructed to provide regular and accurate updates through enhanced online information systems, enabling passengers to monitor real-time flight status from their homes. In case of any flight cancellations, the airlines will issue full refunds automatically, without the need for passengers to make any requests, while those who are stranded due to prolonged delays will be provided hotel accommodation by the airlines.
"Special priority is being accorded to senior citizens and differently abled. They will be provided lounge access and every possible assistance to ensure that their travel experience remains comfortable...refreshments and essential services will be provided to all passengers affected by delayed flights," he said.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has established a 24×7 Control Room -- 011-24610843, 011-24693963, 096503-91859 -- that is monitoring the situation on a real-time basis to ensure swift corrective action, effective coordination, and immediate resolution of issues as they arise, he added.
Earlier in the day, DGCA chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai requested the cooperation of all pilots to ensure smooth flight operations amid massive IndiGo flight disruptions.