Air flyers across India were caught in the middle of chaos for a fourth day on Friday after IndiGo cancelled almost 1000 flights, including 31 out of the 38 in Goa, prompting the government to announce special relief measures for the country’s largest airline. The crisis saw the airline struggle with a pilot shortage under new duty-time rules, forcing it to implement schedule cuts.
India’s‌‌‌‌ aviation sector has been one of the most talked-about success stories globally and is viewed as a major driver of the country’s economy. However, the crisis at IndiGo which is quite literally at the heart of the problem, is indicative of the cracks running deep into the country’s aviation infrastructure, regulatory framework, and operational management. The unfortunate cancellation of flights, delays, and shortage of crews have not only been a hassle to the millions of passengers, but they have been a loud cry for the sector that the time for reforms has come.
The trouble began when the situation of the cancellation of flights, of which IndiGo, a company that boasts of nearly 50% of domestic flights in India, had been a victim, started worsening. Only a small part of the disruptions is put down to seasonal factors such as weather and air traffic congestion; the reason behind them goes far beyond these factors. It is reported that the airline is facing extreme shortages of employees - pilots, cabin crew, ground staff - and that this has been aggravated by their rapid expansion and lack of proper planning.
In the past ten years, the Indian aviation industry has grown exponentially, which has led to a sharper demand for personnel like pilots, crew, and ground staff. However, the pace of hiring and the training process has not been quick enough to meet the demand. The retirement of experienced pilots, combined with the slow pace of onboarding of newly hired pilots, has caused a shortage of skilled personnel. As a consequence, the workload increase of the already existing staff has led to a drop in the quality of services and safety standards.
The carriers have not been immune to financial difficulties either. The pandemic has been very brutal for the finances of airlines, and as a result, a large number of them have been forced to take drastic measures to cut costs. The crisis brings up to the surface broader questions about the longevity of India’s aviation growth model. While the government’s effort to promote regional connectivity and enhance the infrastructure of airports is a step in the right direction, it must be accompanied by solid planning and the investment of resources in personnel and infrastructure.
Besides the need for regulatory changes aiming at speeding up licensing, safety standards, and air traffic management, ensuring a more efficient operation, passengers take the brunt of the systemic failures. The cancellations of flights and delays discredit the whole business and set back the progress that India has made in becoming a global aviation hub. In order to regain the lost trust, airlines have to put the interests of passengers first, make communication more efficient, and, thus, ensure the right number of staff and the provision of facilities.
The IndiGo crisis is a wake-up call to India’s aviation industry. It calls for thorough reforms with an emphasis on a balance between further growth and capacity building; investment in human resources, upgrading of transport infrastructure, and lessening regulation. These are pre-requisites if India has to realise its dream of a stable, efficient and passenger-centric system.
