NEW DELHI– IndiGo is set to operate more than 2,000 flights on Friday, signalling a gradual return to operational stability after days of disruption and intensified oversight by the aviation regulator.
The airline said it would operate over 2,050 flights on December 12 under a revised, scaled-down schedule, reflecting steady improvement since the government intervened in crisis management earlier this week.
IndiGo has been progressively increasing its flight operations over the past several days. The carrier operated more than 1,700 flights on December 8, over 1,800 on December 9, and approximately 1,900 and 1,950 flights on December 10 and 11, respectively.
“All our 138 operational destinations are connected, and our on-time performance has been consistently normal as per IndiGo standards,” the airline said in a statement.
The airline added that it operated more than 1,950 flights on Thursday with just four cancellations, all due to unfavorable weather conditions. Affected passengers were informed promptly to minimize inconvenience.
Following the widespread disruption that impacted domestic aviation operations earlier this month, IndiGo has appointed an independent aviation consultancy to investigate the root causes of the operational failure.
The airline said its board has approved the appointment of Chief Aviation Advisors LLC to conduct an independent review and assess contributing factors behind the disruption.
“The Board has approved the appointment of Chief Aviation Advisors LLC, led by Captain John Illson, veteran aviation expert, to conduct an independent expert review and assessment of the recent operational disruption and the contributing factors,” IndiGo said.
Captain Illson has more than 40 years of experience in global aviation and has worked with major international organizations including the Federal Aviation Administration, the International Civil Aviation Organization, and the International Air Transport Association, as well as leading airlines worldwide.
Earlier, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation dismissed four flight inspectors responsible for monitoring IndiGo’s safety and operational standards. The action followed findings of negligence in inspection and oversight duties, according to sources.
The regulator has since deployed two special oversight teams at IndiGo’s Gurugram office to closely monitor the airline’s operations. Additionally, IndiGo was directed earlier this week to reduce its flight operations by 10 percent to stabilize schedules and prevent further disruptions.
IndiGo typically operates around 2,200 flights per day. (Source: IANS)
