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Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant remarked that since the government is actively taking steps in this matter, the court should not intervene at this time. The Supreme Court also stated in response to the petition that it would be a different matter if the situation remained unchanged, but the government is taking steps to handle it.
Supreme Court
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has refused to intervene in the crisis of continuous flight delays and cancellations by IndiGo Airlines. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant remarked that since the government is actively taking steps in this matter, the court should not intervene at this time. The Supreme Court also stated in response to the petition that it would be a different matter if the situation remained unchanged, but the government is taking steps to handle it.
What was the case?
In recent days, IndiGo Airlines has seen a large number of flight cancellations and delays, causing immense inconvenience to millions of passengers. A public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the Supreme Court on December 6, mentioning the cancellation of 2500 IndiGo flights. It was also claimed that this has affected 95 airports and passengers are facing immense hardship.
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Court's trust in government action
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court refused to intervene in the matter, stating that the government itself is taking steps to deal with this crisis. The court said that as long as the government is handling the matter, there is no need for the court to intervene. The court also said that if the situation remained unchanged, they would have taken action on the issue themselves.
Why are IndiGo flights being cancelled?
IndiGo Airlines had planned new FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitations) rules for pilots, which stipulated longer rest periods to ensure the efficiency of the pilots. Under these rules, if the pilots' stipulated working hours are not met, flights are cancelled. This rule was implemented from a safety perspective, but it is resulting in a large number of flight cancellations and affecting passengers.
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What did the petition demand?
The petition demanded that alternative travel arrangements be made for passengers when flights are cancelled. Compensation should be paid, as passengers have faced financial and mental stress. The government and the airline should be directed to adopt alternative measures instead of cancelling flights. The petitioner stated that this disruption caused by IndiGo Airlines has become a humanitarian crisis and is violating passengers' rights.
Petitioner's lawyer visited the CJI's residence
On December 6, the petitioner's lawyer visited the residence of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant to request an urgent hearing of the case. This step was taken to seek relief from the court in an emergency situation. However, the Supreme Court adjourned the case and expressed confidence in the government's efforts.
