Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Credit: PTI Photo
Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Monday attributed IndiGo’s nationwide flight disruption to the airline’s poor crew roster management and inadequate staffing, rather than to any government policy.
Speaking to reporters in Amaravati, Naidu said the crisis stemmed from IndiGo’s failure to effectively comply with the Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms recommended by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Civil Aviation.
“FDTL rules are very clear that they set limits on flying hours, rest periods, and working conditions for pilots and crew. Pilots cannot exceed prescribed duty hours, and rest periods are mandatory to ensure safe operations,” Naidu said
Responding to a query, Naidu pointed out that as a low-cost carrier, IndiGo did not recruit sufficient staff in recent years, relying instead on tight scheduling to maximise efficiency. "Once the new duty-time norms were enforced, the airline struggled to adjust its operations."
“With the implementation of FDTL guidelines, IndiGo was compelled to comply, resulting in over 550 flights being cancelled on December 4 and nearly 600 on December 5. The disruption caused severe inconvenience to passengers, but it was due to IndiGo’s poor crew planning that is where they made the mistake,” Naidu said.
He added that the Union government has since intervened and granted temporary relaxation in certain FDTL conditions, paving the way for operations to stabilise. IndiGo, which accounts for 60–65 per cent of India’s domestic air traffic, has already refunded most of the affected passengers and was instructed to complete remaining refunds promptly.
The Chief Minister’s remarks come amid widespread criticism and speculation linking the crisis to government oversight. Naidu dismissed those claims as politically motivated. “Some are trying to sensationalise this issue and throw mud at us to cover up their own failures. This matter lies within the Centre’s domain. As Chief Minister, I don’t interfere with the functioning of Union ministers that is entirely the Prime Minister’s prerogative,” he asserted.
He reiterated that both the Centre and the airline management are taking decisive steps to restore normalcy and prevent a recurrence.
Naidu’s comments gain significance as MP K Ram Mohan Naidu, who currently heads the Civil Aviation Ministry, belongs to TDP a key partner in the NDA coalition government at the Centre.