"Rules To Improve System, Not To Harass People": PM Modi On IndiGo Crisis

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasised the need to 'ensure rules and regulations framed by the government do not force hardship on Indian citizens', Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said Wednesday, sharing details of the PM's comments on the IndiGo crisis at this morning's meeting of lawmakers from the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

According to Rijiju, the PM said, "It is our responsibility to ensure that no citizen of India faces any hardship from the government simply because they are Indian citizens. Rules and regulations are good… but they should be used to improve the system, not harass the public."

The NDA lawmakers were meeting ahead of a debate on electoral reforms, a topic triggered by the Election Commission's contentious pan-India voter re-verification drive, and which will almost certainly devolve into chaos, with MPs from both sides throwing jibes at the other.

The government has said it will crack down on IndiGo.

Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu said his ministry would make an 'example of' the budget airline – which has refunded over Rs 830 crore so far and lost another Rs 37,000 crore in market value.

"We care for pilots, crew and passengers. We made it clear to all the airlines. IndiGo was supposed to manage the crew and roster. Passengers faced a lot of difficulties. We are not taking the situation lightly. We will take strict action. We will set an example for every airline. If there will be any non-compliance, we will act," he told Parliament this week.

IndiGo – which controls over 60 per cent of the domestic commercial aviation market – is battling back from a week of crippling flight delays brought on by its failure to respond to strict new rules about managing fatigue and workload among pilots and flight crew, including limiting the number of on-duty hours and mandating increased rest periods between flights.

This translated into hundreds of flights being cancelled daily; by some estimates over 4,500 were grounded over a seven-day period as the airline scrambled to find pilots and cabin crew without violating the new rules passed by the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation.

Social media was flooded with photographs, videos, and stories of stranded passengers, many of whom were travelling to deal with family or medical emergencies, or for other critical reasons.

IndiGo has offered a full refund, with waived cancellation or rescheduling charges, for affected customers, but the sheer volume of tickets sold – over 9.5 lakh – has meant delayed refunds or, in some cases, even incorrect processing, adding to the general frustration against the airline.