Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav on Wednesday blamed the Civil Aviation Ministry’s directive for the recent IndiGo flight disruptions, which led to widespread delays and cancellations. He was referring to the new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) regulations issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Yadav claimed the airline’s schedule was cut by 10%, indirectly benefiting Tata.

The DGCA had earlier directed IndiGo to reduce its operations by 5% due to poor management of its winter schedule and a backlog of cancellations, but the government doubled the cut to 10%. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said flight operations were stabilizing, with airports reporting no crowding or distress. He noted that IndiGo operated 1,800 flights on Wednesday, up from 706 on December 5, indicating improvement.

The minister stressed that passenger safety remains non-negotiable. He added that show-cause notices have been issued to IndiGo’s senior leadership and a detailed DGCA investigation is underway, with strict action to follow based on the findings. Naidu also highlighted that the disruptions were caused by internal rostering issues, despite IndiGo’s assurances to comply with FDTL norms designed to prevent pilot fatigue.