The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Pieter Elbers, following mass flight cancellations and significant operational disruptions. The DGCA held the airline accountable for these large-scale issues, citing "significant lapses in planning, oversight and resource management." The notice mandates Elbers to respond within 24 hours, explaining why enforcement action should not be initiated against IndiGo under the relevant provisions of the Aircraft Rules and Civil Aviation Requirements.

The primary cause of the widespread disruptions was identified as IndiGo's failure to make "adequate arrangements" to meet the revised staffing, duty-time, and rostering requirements mandated by the newly implemented Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) scheme. The DGCA observed that this breakdown in services reflects non-compliance with the provisions of Aircraft Rules, 1937 (Rule 42A) and relevant Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) pertaining to duty periods, flight time limitations, and prescribed rest periods for crew. Furthermore, the regulator pointed out failures in passenger care, noting that the airline did not provide the mandated information or facilities to affected travelers following cancellations, delays, and denied boarding, thereby violating CAR provisions concerning passenger rights.

The civil aviation industry in India has faced massive disruptions since last week, with IndiGo experiencing numerous cancellations, severe delays, and flight rescheduling. This was predominantly due to a sudden shortage of pilots and crew, exacerbated by the implementation of revised FDTL norms issued by the DGCA last year. Thousands of passengers have endured significant inconvenience, long queues, and inadequate facilities, with many stranded at airports for extended periods. Passengers have called upon the airline to provide timely updates and support to mitigate their hardships.

Airport data from various major hubs on Saturday highlighted the extent of IndiGo's cancellations. Hyderabad Airport reported 69 planned cancellations, including 26 arrivals and 43 departures. At Delhi Airport, 86 IndiGo flights were cancelled for the day, comprising 37 departures and 49 arrivals. Ahmedabad Airport also recorded disruptions, with 35 departures and 24 arrivals under planned cancellations. Kolkata Airport saw 21 arrivals and 20 departures cancelled out of a total of 73 arrivals and 102 departures scheduled.

Pieter Elbers, a Dutch airline executive, assumed the role of IndiGo's CEO in 2022. With over 30 years of industry experience, his career predominantly spans his tenure at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines. Prior to joining IndiGo, Elbers served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of KLM for eight years, starting his career there in 1992 as a Manager Aircraft Loading. Throughout his time at KLM, he held various key executive positions in The Netherlands, Japan, Greece, and Italy. He was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2011 and to President and CEO in 2014, simultaneously serving as an executive of the AIR FRANCE-KLM Group. Elbers also serves on the IATA Board of Governors and has been elected as its Chair since June 2024. His academic background includes a bachelor’s degree in Logistics Management and a master’s degree in Business Economics, complemented by executive programs at IMD, Lausanne, and Columbia University, New York.

In response to the crisis, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers issued a video apology on social media, acknowledging that earlier measures had proven insufficient. He announced a "reboot of all our systems and schedules," which resulted in the highest number of cancellations to date, but was deemed "imperative for progressive improvements." Elbers expressed an expectation for cancellations to fall below 1,000 from the next day onwards, noting that the DGCA's support in providing specific FDTL implementation relief was greatly beneficial. Subsequently, IndiGo released a statement on Sunday, confirming that it had operated over 700 flights the previous day, connecting 113 destinations, and was on track to operate over 1500 flights by the end of Sunday. The airline stated that over 95% of its network connectivity had been re-established, operating to 135 out of 138 existing destinations. IndiGo reaffirmed its commitment to rebuilding customer trust and extended gratitude to its partners, government agencies, customers, and staff for their patience and cooperation during these challenging times, issuing a renewed apology.