CCI to probe complaints against IndiGo for recent mass flight cancellations
The Competition Commission of India has decided to examine IndiGo's recent mass flight cancellations under competition laws. The move comes alongside a DGCA probe, as questions emerge over the airline's dominant market position and its role in the disruptions.
India's fair trade watchdog, the Competition Commission of India (CCI), on Thursday said it has decided to examine the recent spate of flight cancellations by IndiGo across multiple routes under competition laws. The move comes amid widespread disruption in the aviation sector that affected passengers nationwide. In an official release, the CCI said it has taken cognisance of information filed against IndiGo in connection with the recent flight disruptions witnessed across various routes. "Based on the initial assessment, the Commission has decided to proceed further in the matter in accordance with the provisions of the Competition Act, 2002," the regulator stated, as per the news agency PTI.
Mass cancellations trigger scrutiny
IndiGo, which commands over 65 per cent share of the domestic aviation market, cancelled hundreds of flights starting December 2. The cancellations caused significant inconvenience to thousands of passengers, with many facing delays, rebookings and last-minute travel uncertainty. The scale of the disruptions has raised questions in certain quarters over whether the airline's dominant market position may have played a role in the situation.
DGCA probe and competition concerns
While the aviation safety regulator DGCA is already probing the flight disruptions and has increased scrutiny of IndiGo's operations, competition-related concerns have also come into focus. A senior official last week told news agency PTI that the CCI was internally examining whether IndiGo may have violated competition norms.
IndiGo says operations stabilised
Amid the regulatory scrutiny, IndiGo chief executive Pieter Elbers told employees that the airline has stabilised operations following a phase of disruption. He said the worst was over and that the country's largest airline was now focused on building resilience, conducting a root-cause review and rebuilding systems to prevent future disruptions. "Through the storm, we are finding our wings again. The worst is behind us," Elbers said. He said the past two weeks had been "very challenging" but credited pilots, cabin crew, airport teams, operations control and customer service staff for restoring the network to around 2,200 flights a day.