Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu today said that the Flight Duty Time Limitations orders of the DGCA have been placed in abeyance with immediate effect.
In a statement on the Indigo Service Disruption, the Union Minister said that the government has taken urgent and proactive measures to address the ongoing disruption inflight schedules, particularly those of Indigo Airlines. He added that this decision has been taken solely in the interest of passengers, especially senior citizens, students, patients, and others who rely on timely air travel for essential needs.
In addition to this, several operational measures have been directed to ensure that normal airline services are restored at the earliest and that the inconvenience caused to travellers is significantly reduced. With immediate implementation of these directives, it is expected that flight schedules will begin to stabilise and return to normal by tomorrow. The complete restoration of services will be achieved within the next three days.
In addition, airlines have been instructed to provide regular and accurate updates through enhanced online information systems, enabling passengers to monitor real-time flight status from their homes. Airlines have been directed to issue full refunds automatically, without the need for passengers to make any requests in case of any flight cancellations. Special priority is being accorded to senior citizens and differently-abled. They will be provided lounge access and every possible assistance to ensure that their travel experience remains comfortable.
The Ministry has established a 24×7 Control Room that is monitoring the situation on a real-time basis to ensure swift corrective action, effective coordination, and immediate resolution of issues as they arise. The numbers are 011-24610843, 011-24693963, 096503-91859. The Civil Aviation Minister said Government is aware of the difficulties faced by air passengers and remains in continuous consultation with airlines and all relevant stakeholders. Every necessary measure, including regulatory relaxations as permitted by DGCA, is being taken to stabilise airline operations and alleviate public inconvenience at the earliest possible time.
