The IndiGo fiasco has uncovered not just the insolence and arrogance of the leading domestic airline but also all that is wrong with the civil aviation sector—from the cavalier attitude of the errant airline’s management to the feckless behaviour of the regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the insouciance of the government.

Consider the latest DGCA action—stationing nine of its senior officials at the airline’s corporate office and conducting an audit of the airline’s fleet, pilot, and crew utilisation. Two of these officials have been mandated to monitor flight cancellations, delays, refunds, and passenger compensation status. DGCA Director General Faiz Kidwai has met IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers.

All this seems to be reactive posturing aimed at deflecting criticism rather than improving the situation. The drama began when IndiGo, having failed to comply with the regulator’s new crew-rostering rules, had to cancel thousands of flights, thus hugely inconveniencing tens of thousands of fliers; people missed business meetings, marriages, other important engagements, and travel plans. The new norms specify how pilots and cabin crew are rested. Pilots are now stipulated to longer weekly rest, 48 hours instead of 36. Also, the limits on night landings are not stricter, two rather than six. This was after the regulator received fatigue complaints.

The new rules were announced almost a couple of years ago, and were scheduled to come into play in two phases—in June and November. Other major carriers reportedly complied with the new rules, but IndiGo, whose financial condition is much better than that of those who implemented it, didn’t. Evidently, the new rules meant higher costs, as IndiGo had to employ more pilots. It has been alleged that the IndiGo management was confident that it would be able to get around the new rules by ‘managing the system.’

The confidence was not misplaced, for the government did give the airline an exemption from the new rules of a few months; now it has time to comply by February 10, 2026.

IndiGo’s formal response to the government for the massive operational disruptions also smacks of the same confidence. It informed the DGCA that a single root cause for the crisis cannot be identified at this point in time. More time, it said, is needed to complete a proper Root Cause Analysis (RCA). IndiGo said that “the disruption had resulted from a combination of the factors, including minor technical glitches, schedule changes linked to the start of the winter season, adverse weather conditions, increased congestion in the aviation system, as well as implementation of and operation under the updated crew rostering rules (Flight Duty Time Limitation Phase II), which coincided in lesser or greater measure.”

Notice how it is trying to buy time. Also notice how it downplays the real cause—“implementation of and operation under the updated crew rostering rules.”

IndiGo’s insolence is matched only by the DGCA’s incompetence and the government’s indifference towards the aviation sector. Why didn’t the regulator inspect to ensure the implementation of its rules in a phased manner? The government, too, has done little more than make anodyne statements. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said on December 5, “Passenger care, safety, and convenience continue to remain the highest priority of the government of India.” That priority must be visible in actions, not statements.