DGCA summons IndiGo CEO on Thursday with flight restoration details, recruitment plan

Aviation safety regulator DGCA has directed crisis-ridden IndiGo's Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers to appear at its office on Thursday and submit a complete report, along with comprehensive data and updates, relating to the recent operational disruptions, a statement said on Wednesday.

Elbers has been asked to appear at the DGCA office at 3 pm on Thursday.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) also said that the CEO, along with senior officials from all relevant departments, has been instructed to attend the meeting.

As per the regulator's order, the airline has been asked to present information on the flight restoration, recruitment plan of pilots and crew, with updated position of pilot and cabin crew strength, number of flights cancelled and refunds processed, among others.

Following large-scale disruptions to its services, which resulted in thousands of flights being cancelled, delayed/ rescheduled, the DGCA appointed a panel to probe the disruptions.

The four-member committee has been mandated to identify the root causes behind the operational breakdown. It comprises Joint DG Sanjay Brahamane, Deputy Director General Amit Gupta, senior Flight Operations Inspector Kapil Manglik, and FOI Lokesh Rampal. The panel will closely examine manpower planning, fluctuating crew rostering systems and the airline's readiness to implement the latest duty period and rest norms for pilots.

Announced by DGCA chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai on December 5, the panel will also review IndiGo's compliance with the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation provisions. This includes assessing gaps admitted by the airline and fixing accountability for planning failures that resulted in widespread disruptions.