DGCA also at fault: Congress MLA KN Rajanna on IndiGo flight disruptions

Tumkur (Karnataka) [India], December 6 (ANI): Amid widespread disruptions in air travel due to multiple IndiGo flight delays and cancellations, Karnataka Congress MLA KN Rajanna said on Saturday that the disruption was also the fault of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the fingers cannot be pointed only towards the airlines.
He claimed it was due to the DGCA's law, which ultimately led IndiGo to declare a pilot shortage, as it requires pilots to serve only eight hours. According to him, IndiGo Airlines was making its pilots work 10-12 hours, so when they had to comply with the law, they declared a pilot shortage.
Rajanna said, "Because of the shortage of pilots, the flights were rescheduled, and that's why all these things are going on. The DGCA has a specific law requiring a pilot to serve only 8 hours, but IndiGo is making its pilots work 10-12 hours, which is also not correct. Now, as per DGCA's insistence on eight hours, IndiGo has created a pilot shortage. For that reason, all this havoc is there. As DGCA is under civil aviation, we have to blame IndiGo, DGCA and the Civil Aviation Ministry."
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Saturday directed IndiGo to trace and deliver the baggage separated from passengers due to cancellations or delays within the next 48 hours.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu shared on X, announcing strict directives to IndiGo amid widespread cancellations and delays, ordering the airline to clear all pending passenger refunds and complete the entire refund process for cancelled or disrupted flights by 8 PM on December 7.
In a post on X, the minister said, "The Ministry of Civil Aviation has directed IndiGo to clear all pending passenger refunds without delay and mandated that the refund process for all cancelled or disrupted flights must be fully completed by 8:00 PM on Sunday, 7 December 2025. Ministry has directed IndiGo to ensure that all baggage that was separated from passengers due to cancellations or delays is traced and delivered to the passenger's residential or chosen address within the next 48 hours."
According to a statement issued by the Ministry, airlines have additionally been instructed not to levy any rescheduling charges for passengers impacted by recent operational disruptions. The Ministry warned that any delay or non-compliance in the processing of refunds would attract immediate regulatory action.
Amid widespread flight disruptions that left thousands of passengers stranded across the country, IndiGo on Saturday said that it is working to stabilise its operations.
The airline added that cancellations have dropped below 850 flights compared to previous days and urged travellers to check the latest flight status online and seek refunds if needed.
As per the statement from the airline, "IndiGo is working determinedly to bring its operations back on track across the network. Our teams are focused on stabilising schedules, reducing delays, and supporting customers through this period. Today, the number of cancellations has dropped below 850 flights, well below yesterday's level. We're continuing to work towards reducing this number progressively over the next few days." (ANI)