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Ram Mohan Naidu said the government has held multiple review meetings with all stakeholders, rejecting criticism that the administration was slow to respond.

IndiGo Chaos: Amid the nationwide IndiGo flight turmoil, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has warned the airline of necessary action while asserting that nobody can “arm-twist" the government.

In an exclusive interview with CNN-News18, the minister said “people are our top priority", stressing that accountability would be fixed and penalties determined only after the probe panel submits its report. “How much fine will be imposed will be defined following the inquiry. But let me assure passengers — action will be taken," he said.

Naidu also said the government has held multiple review meetings with all stakeholders, rejecting criticism that the administration was slow to respond. “The Modi government doesn’t run away. We have been monitoring the situation from Day One."

He said that conditions were improving, with Delhi Airport now “decongested" and operations gradually stabilising. “Things are being brought back on track. From tomorrow onwards, the situation will be smoothened. Full-capacity operations will follow in phases," the Union Minister added.

Highlighting passenger welfare, he said the government had issued strict instructions to IndiGo on refunds, accommodation and communication.

He also said that special attention must be given to vulnerable passengers as airports deal with the ongoing IndiGo crisis. Speaking about the disruptions, he said airport authorities have been told to take extra care of those who need help the most. The minister further said that officials have been directed to assist passengers promptly and ensure that basic support is provided without delay.

“We have instructed airport authorities that topmost priority needs to be given to children, mothers and senior citizens, that they should not face any problem," Naidu said.

He also confirmed that the temporary relaxation of duty-time norms was only to restore stability. “The norm is relaxed for now- but IndiGo, like all other airlines, will have to comply going forward."

As one-way airfares on key domestic routes have surged to eye-watering levels due to the ongoing crisis, Naidu said the government was working to ensure airfares remain under control across the sector. Reiterating that the focus remains on restoring normalcy, the minister assured that passenger interests will not be compromised.

IndiGo Crisis

IndiGo, India’s largest airline by market share, cancelled over a thousand flights on Friday, with CEO Pieter Elbers terming it as the “worst day" in terms of operational disruption for IndiGo.

The crisis, now in its fourth day, triggered a full-scale intervention by the Centre, which ordered a high-level probe, put Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms in abeyance, and directed the airline to initiate automatic refunds for all cancelled flights.

The probe will look into what went wrong within IndiGo’s operations, identify who should be held accountable, and recommend steps to prevent such incidents from recurring.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has also set up a four-member high-level committee to conduct a comprehensive review of the circumstances that led to IndiGo’s widespread operational disruptions over the past week.

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