Priyanka Chaturvedi Raises Issue in Rajya Sabha
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Friday, 5 December, moved a notice under Rule 180 in the Rajya Sabha, asking Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu to make a statement on the ongoing IndiGo disruptions, ANI reported.
In her notice, she said the situation was of “urgent public importance”, as thousands of passengers had faced lengthy delays and cancellations. She highlighted that on Wednesday alone, IndiGo experienced severe delays of up to seven hours and cancelled more than 70 flights across major airports, including Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Even key international routes, such as the Mumbai–Maldives service, were affected during peak hours.
Chaturvedi added that normal airport operations had been disrupted and many passengers were left stranded. She urged the government to intervene immediately and introduce safeguards to prevent such large-scale disruptions in future.
#WATCH | Delhi | On IndiGo facing nationwide flight delays and cancellations, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi says, “I have submitted a calling attention. I was hoping that the civil aviation minister would give information in the Parliament yesterday itself, but… pic.twitter.com/UkLx3U3Jef
— ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2025
What Led to the Disruptions
IndiGo has cancelled hundreds of flights this week due to a crew shortage. The situation continued to worsen, with 550 flights cancelled on Thursday. Early-morning services, including Delhi–Pune flights on Friday, were also cancelled as the issue entered its fourth day.
The airline told India’s aviation regulator that it expects normal operations to return by February 10.
Following a detailed review led by the DGCA, IndiGo requested temporary operational variations or exemptions from certain Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) rules for its A320 fleet, valid until February 10, 2026, to minimise further passenger inconvenience while maintaining safety.
Also Read: IndiGo shares may see pressure amidst flight turmoil; analysts warn of near-term strain
Opposition Steps Up Attack
The opposition has sharply criticised the government over the crisis.
Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi also attacked the government, calling the crisis a result of the Centre’s “monopoly model”.
In a post on X, he said ordinary passengers were suffering because of delays, cancellations and ongoing uncertainty. He demanded fair competition in the aviation sector and warned against “match-fixing monopolies”.
IndiGo fiasco is the cost of this Govt’s monopoly model.
Once again, it’s ordinary Indians who pay the price – in delays, cancellations and helplessness.
India deserves fair competition in every sector, not match-fixing monopolies. https://t.co/sRoigepFgv
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 5, 2025
IndiGo’s cancellations have surged to around 170–200 flights per day, raising concerns over both passenger safety and convenience.
What Happens Next
With the matter now formally raised in Parliament, the Civil Aviation Ministry is expected to respond. The DGCA is already reviewing IndiGo’s operational challenges, and the airline says it is working to stabilise its schedule.
For now, passengers have been advised to check updated flight information, as disruptions may continue until the airline fully restores its operations.
Also Read: IndiGo’s crisis rooted in management failure, not new DGCA rules, say aviation veterans
