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The Delhi High Court termed the increasing incidents of flight cancellations and delays by IndiGo a serious crisis and questioned the central government on how the situation was allowed to deteriorate to such an extent.
Delhi high court questions centre
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday severely criticized the central government and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) while hearing a case related to the ongoing crisis at IndiGo Airlines.
The Delhi High Court termed the increasing incidents of flight cancellations and delays by IndiGo a serious crisis and questioned the central government on how the situation was allowed to deteriorate to such an extent.
During the hearing, the High Court stated that the cancellation of IndiGo flights not only caused inconvenience and harassment to passengers but also harmed the economy.
The court questioned why other airlines increased ticket prices, taking advantage of the situation when IndiGo flights were grounded. The court explicitly asked how the price hikes by other airlines in such a situation could be justified.
The court said that the delay in implementing the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules for pilots and the lack of oversight resulted in the cancellation of over 2,000 flights nationwide, stranding more than 40,000 passengers.
A division bench of Justices Manmohan and Tushar Rao Gedela remarked, "Passenger safety cannot be compromised. Pilot fatigue increases the risk of accidents. Regulatory bodies should have taken proactive steps earlier."
The court also expressed displeasure that other airlines increased fares to up to Rs. 40,000 after IndiGo flights were cancelled. The bench asked, "Isn't this opportunism? How can other airlines be allowed to take advantage?
Air tickets that used to cost four or five thousand rupees have now become so expensive. How can the fare go up to Rs. 35,000-39,000?" The court gave clear instructions that all affected passengers should be given full compensation under the existing DGCA guidelines and the Indian Aircraft Act, 2024. The court said, "Passengers' rights are paramount." "Under no circumstances will any negligence in providing compensation be tolerated."
Meanwhile, the government informed the court that the legal process is fully underway in this matter and a show-cause notice has been issued to IndiGo. The central government stated that the airline has also apologized for its mistake and assured that it will rectify the situation.
IndiGo crisis continues on the ninth day
India's largest airline, IndiGo, is currently going through the most difficult phase in its history. This airline, which operates approximately 2300 flights daily and holds more than 60% of the domestic aviation market share, has seen its market capitalization drop to around Rs 21,000 crore following the current crisis.
Even on the ninth day of this crisis, passengers' problems show no sign of abating. Passengers are facing increasing difficulties at three major airports in the country – Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai – due to IndiGo Airlines' flight cancellations and delays.
According to the latest updates, pictures from Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital, Delhi, show a large number of passengers stranded for hours.
Due to the sudden cancellation of several flights or long delays, people are forced to sit and wait at the airport. Some passengers have also complained about the lack of food, water, and information.
