Aviation panel summons all airlines today to review post-IndiGo crisis | Know who all will be there

New Delhi: A high-level committee established to investigate the recent widespread flight cancellations and operational chaos at airports has dramatically broadened its scope. What began as a probe into a "major technical glitch" at IndiGo has now escalated into an industry-wide summoning, with all major airlines directed to a critical meeting scheduled for Wednesday, December 17th.

The expansion of the inquiry signals a significant shift, indicating that regulators are looking beyond a single operator to address what they perceive as systemic failures across the entire Indian aviation sector. The investigative committee is now focusing on critical system breakdowns and industry accountability, demanding answers from multiple stakeholders.

 Reason for this intensified scrutiny

The immediate reason for this intensified scrutiny was a severe technical crisis that paralysed IndiGo’s operations for several hours. This "major technical glitch" reportedly caused flight systems to completely fail, necessitating complex and prolonged manual intervention to restore essential flight controls and information systems. The incident raised serious questions about the resilience and redundancy of critical aviation infrastructure.

Top government officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will participate in the comprehensive meeting. The agenda is packed, aiming to dissect how such widespread failures occurred and, crucially, to strategise on how to prevent future scenarios requiring manual restoration of critical systems.

The day-long series of sessions is structured to tackle various facets of the crisis:

3:00 PM - 3:30 PM: Pilot availability and  duty time compliance

This initial session will address pressing concerns regarding pilot availability, adherence to duty-time regulations, and the overall operational stress on flight crews. Representatives from prominent pilot associations, including ALPA-India, FIP, ICPA, and IPG, are expected to attend, offering their perspectives on manpower planning and fatigue management.

3:30 PM - 4:00 PM: Operational disruptions and  GNSS-interference

Airline operators will take centre stage in this session, discussing the broader issues of operational disruptions, flight delays, diversions, and increasingly, reports of GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) interference that can impact navigation and communication.

4:00 PM - 4:30 PM: ATC preparedness and  passenger handling

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) will be in attendance to discuss recent ATC/GPS spoofing disruptions, their preparedness to handle such incidents, and the critical measures for efficient passenger handling during periods of extensive disruption.

4:30 PM - 5:00 PM: Revised FDTL norms

The concluding session will involve officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the DGCA, focusing on briefing attendees about the recently revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms for pilots and related implementation challenges.

This crucial meeting follows a recent fact-finding visit by a four-member panel, constituted by DGCA Director General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, to IndiGo’s headquarters. During their visit, the panel meticulously examined various operational aspects that could have contributed to the recent disruptions.

The investigative panel, comprising Joint DG Sanjay Brahamane, Deputy Director General Amit Gupta, Senior Flight Operations Inspector Kapil Manglik, and FOI Lokesh Rampal, has been specifically tasked with identifying the root causes behind widespread operational disruptions. Their mandate includes a thorough assessment of manpower planning, the effectiveness of fluctuating rostering systems, and each airline’s preparedness to fully implement the latest duty period and rest norms for pilots, which are critical for flight safety and crew well-being.