IndiGo chairman Vikram Singh Mehta has dismissed recent allegations suggesting that the airline deliberately engineered its operational crisis or attempted to influence government rules. Speaking in a video statement on Wednesday, Mehta addressed the ongoing disruptions that have affected thousands of flights since last week, following the airline’s challenges in implementing the updated Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules.

Clarifying Allegations

Mehta acknowledged that the airline has faced significant criticism over the past week, which he categorized as “some fair, some not.” He said that the fair criticism included the airline letting down its passengers and being accountable to stakeholders, including the government, shareholders, employees, and customers. However, he strongly refuted allegations claiming that IndiGo intentionally created the crisis, sought to influence government regulations, or compromised safety standards.

“…there are some allegations that are untrue, that IndiGo engineered the crisis, that we tried to influence government rules, that we compromised safety, that the board was not involved,” Mehta said. “These claims are incorrect. IndiGo has followed the pilot fatigue rules as they came into effect. We operated under the new rules throughout, both in July and in November.”

Causes of the Operational Disruption

Mehta attributed the disruption not to deliberate actions but to a combination of internal and unforeseen external factors. These included minor technical glitches, scheduled changes associated with the onset of winter, adverse weather conditions, congestion in the aviation system, and the challenges of implementing updated crew rostering rules.

He also addressed claims that the airline’s board was not engaged during the crisis, emphasizing that the board has been closely involved over several months. “The board has been actively engaged in managing this matter for many months,” he noted.

Restoring Operations and Passenger Assistance

Mehta highlighted that the airline has made substantial progress in restoring normal operations. Following an emergency meeting and the establishment of a crisis management group by the board, IndiGo has already seen positive outcomes. “Operations are back to normal earlier than expected. Refunds worth several hundred crores have been processed. Hotel and travel assistance have been provided, and the remaining delayed baggage is now being delivered,” he said.

On Wednesday alone, nearly 220 flights were canceled, with major disruptions reported at Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru airports.

Preventing Future Disruptions

To ensure such disruptions do not recur, Mehta announced that external technical experts would be engaged to collaborate with the management in identifying root causes and implementing corrective measures. “The board has decided it will involve external technical experts to work with the management and help determine the root causes and ensure corrective action, so that this level of disruption never occurs again,” he said.

Meanwhile, the civil aviation ministry has directed IndiGo to cut operations by 10% as a precautionary measure. CEO Pieter Elbers has been summoned to provide an update on the situation, reflecting the government’s close monitoring of the airline’s recovery and compliance with regulations.

Mehta’s statement sought to reassure passengers, employees, and regulators that the airline is committed to resolving all operational issues responsibly while maintaining compliance with safety standards and regulatory guidelines.