Blaming Indigo entirely for the crisis, Naidu said that even on December 1, 2025, when the Ministry met with Indigo on FDTL, as it required some clarification, the company didn't flag the issue that caused the crisis.
Hundreds of flights have been cancelled and delayed, leaving passengers stranded at airports as the flight disruptions continued for the fourth day on Friday.
Pilots' body the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has alleged that IndiGo, despite getting a two-year preparatory window before the full implementation of new flight duty and rest period norms for cockpit crew, "inexplicably" adopted a "hiring freeze."
The storm has prompted widespread travel disruption, including mass flight cancellations and warnings to motorists to stay off icy roads, while at least 20 states and Washington, DC, declared states of emergency.
IndiGo has vacated over 700 slots at various domestic airports after the DGCA curtailed its winter flights by 10% following operational disruptions in December. Other airlines are invited to request these slots.
While Air India cancelled six international flights due to aviation regulator DGCA subjecting its Dreamliner fleet to enhanced checks, the Ahmedabad-London Gatwick one was cancelled due to unavailability of aircraft, the airline said.
Kingfisher Airlines' schedule was disrupted on Saturday with cancellation of over 30 flights as its pilots struck work to protest non-payment of wages for almost five months.
India's largest airline IndiGo on Thursday reported a 78 per cent decline in December quarter net profit at Rs 549.1 crore as flight disruptions and implementation of the new labour code took a toll on its earnings. The airline reported a net profit of Rs 549.1 crore in the October-December quarter, compared with Rs 2,448.8 crore earnings in the year-ago period, according to a company statement.
Following attacks in West Asia, hundreds of Indians, including prominent personalities, are stranded in Dubai and other key hub airports due to flight disruptions, prompting appeals for government assistance.
Indians returning from the Middle East share their experiences of fear and uncertainty as the conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran disrupts travel and daily life, leaving many stranded and facing financial strain.
The Bombay High Court has set aside a 2011 Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) order that suspended a 61-year-old pilot's Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL). The court ruled the suspension "illegal and unsustainable" because the DGCA failed to provide the pilot with a show-cause notice or a hearing, violating principles of natural justice. The pilot's ATPL has been restored, though the DGCA is permitted to conduct a fresh inquiry following due process.
Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama, who trains P V Sindhu, had a narrow escape after an explosion occurred close to where they were stationed at Dubai Airport while travelling to Birmingham for the All England Championships.
Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama, who trains P V Sindhu, had a narrow escape after an explosion occurred close to where they were stationed at Dubai Airport while travelling to Birmingham for the All England Championships.
Some flights to Mumbai scheduled to depart from London's Heathrow airport on Sunday night were among half of scheduled 1,300 flights cancelled as authorities grappled with the fallout of snow and icy conditions across transport links in Britain.
Aviation regulator DGCA intensifies scrutiny of IndiGo following widespread flight cancellations. The airline will offer travel vouchers to affected passengers.
IndiGo has seen its pilots' strength depleting by 378 pilots in the last nine months despite its chief operating officer and Accountable Manager, Isidro Porqueras stating to the DGCA in a letter last December that "the overall impact of implementing the proposed changes above (now-implemented FDTL) norms would amount to an approximate 3 per cent increase in crewing requirements.
Here are some glimpses of the unfolding scenes, as weary passengers clutch their luggage, waiting for clarity amid the turmoil.
Air India on Wednesday said it has cancelled its Lucknow-Mumbai flight scheduled for June 17 due to 'operational reasons' and the ripple effect of flight diversions.
Air India's flight to London from Ahmedabad, which has started operating with a new code post the June 12 crash of AI-171, was cancelled on Tuesday due to "operational issues", an airport official said.
The Delhi High Court agreed to hear a plea regarding mass flight cancellations by IndiGo, while the Supreme Court acknowledged the chaos as a 'serious matter'. IndiGo has cancelled 500 flights, leaving many passengers stranded.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay concluded his first official visit to Delhi, meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to discuss key state issues.
The Supreme Court declined to expedite a hearing regarding the widespread IndiGo flight cancellations, acknowledging the government's intervention in the matter.
Aviation safety regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday said it has received IndiGo's response to the show cause notice issued over the large-scale flight cancellations and will take enforcement action.
'When we start describing somebody as an enemy that is the start of politics and emotion after which no business can take place.' 'We need to get out of this, allow Indian businessmen to do business with China.'
The compensation would be in addition to the amount that needs to be provided to passengers for flight cancellations under DGCA norms.
Fresh snowfall in Kashmir, including Srinagar, leads to flight cancellations and highway closures, disrupting normal life.
Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the government has initiated an inquiry into Indigo's mass flight cancellations and will take strict action against the operator to set an example for other airlines.
Consequently, the return flight AI142 from Paris to Delhi of June 18 also stands cancelled, it said.
The Delhi High Court refused to entertain a PIL seeking compensation for passengers affected by IndiGo flight cancellations, citing an ongoing related case.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi assures that the Indian government is prepared to bring back Indians stranded in the Gulf region due to the Iran-Israel conflict and disruptions in Dubai, emphasizing citizen safety as the top priority.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu is likely to miss the All England Championships due to travel disruptions caused by airspace closures in the Gulf region.
At least five Kingfisher Airlines flights out of Mumbai and Delhi were cancelled on Monday as a section of staff did not report for duty to demand immediate payment of salary and allowance backlog.
The airline announced that it will fully refund all bookings cancelled between December 5 and December 15 and will offer a waiver on all cancellation and rescheduling requests.
'We have lost 70-80 per cent of our business from foreign guests.'
India's aviation sector is facing fresh turbulence, with rising fuel costs, the Ministry of Civil Aviation's free-seat directive, and geopolitical disruptions in West Asia clouding near-term earnings visibility.
Nine major trade unions have called for a 24-hour long nationwide bandh on Tuesday to protest against price rise, disinvestment of public sector, retrenchment and entry of foreign capital in retail market.
Families in Uttar Pradesh express anxiety over the safety of their relatives in the Middle East following a joint US-Israel military strike on Iran, which has triggered retaliatory actions and heightened regional tensions.
With IndiGo cancelling over 1,000 flights on Friday owing to crew shortage as the second phase of the pilots flight duty and rest period norms kicked in, huge capacity was out of the market, leading to airfares tripling and quadrupling from over the normal range, a travel industry executive said.
Besides, as many as 44 per cent of the incoming flights were delayed by an average 8 minutes.
Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)'s chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai on Friday requested the cooperation of all pilots to ensure smooth flight operations amid massive IndiGo flight disruptions.
