The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has terminated the contracts of four Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs) as the crisis triggered by mass IndiGo flight cancellations continues to send shockwaves through India’s aviation sector. The decision comes at a time when the country’s largest airline is facing widespread criticism over operational lapses and an unprecedented volume of cancelled flights.
According to an order issued on December 11, the four inspectors Rishi Raj Chatterjee (Deputy Chief FOI), Seema Jhamnani (Senior FOI), Anil Kumar Pokhariyal (Consultant FOI), and Priyam Kaushik (Consultant FOI) have been relieved from their contractual positions with immediate effect to return to their parent organisations. These FOIs were responsible for overseeing airline safety standards, monitoring pilot training, and ensuring operational compliance areas that have come under scrutiny amid the disruptions.
The action coincides with the DGCA summoning IndiGo’s top leadership. COO Isidro Porqueras and CEO Pieter Elbers were asked to appear before a four-member DGCA committee on Friday as part of an ongoing investigation into the airline’s preparedness and management. Officials said Elbers was scheduled to appear in the afternoon.
Government data revealed that IndiGo cancelled 1,588 domestic flights nearly 79% of its schedule on December 5 alone. Between December 1 and 9, the airline scrapped a staggering 4,290 domestic and 64 international flights. Despite claims of stabilisation after December 8, over 200 more flights were cancelled on Thursday, with another 54 scrapped on Friday morning.
The turmoil has been largely attributed to IndiGo’s failure to smoothly implement the second phase of the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms that came into force on November 1. The government has criticised the airline for “mismanagement” and ordered it to reduce daily operations by 10% until the situation normalises.
As the investigation deepens, the spotlight remains firmly on aviation safety, regulatory oversight, and the operational resilience of India’s largest carrier.
