New Delhi, Dec 7 (IANS) The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Sunday issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo’s accountable manager, just a day after sending a similar notice to the airline’s CEO, Pieter Elbers.

The aviation regulator said that IndiGo’s recent wave of mass flight cancellations has caused serious inconvenience and distress to passengers across the country.

According to the DGCA, the main reason behind the disruptions is the airline’s failure to make proper arrangements for the smooth rollout of the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules.

These rules, which regulate the duty hours and rest periods of flight crew, came into effect recently and have led to major operational challenges for IndiGo.

In the notice, the regulator said that IndiGo’s “large-scale operation failures” point to significant lapses in planning, oversight and resource management.

It added that the airline appears to have violated Rule 42A of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, as well as several provisions of the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) related to duty periods, flight time limitations and mandatory rest for crew members.

The DGCA also noted that IndiGo did not offer passengers the required assistance and facilities during the cancellations, despite rules that mandate airlines to provide support in cases of flight delays, cancellations or denied boarding.

The accountable manager has been asked to explain within 24 hours why enforcement action should not be taken for these violations.

The DGCA warned that if IndiGo fails to respond on time, it will take a decision based on the available information.

This notice follows earlier actions taken by the regulator, including show-cause notices to IndiGo’s CEO and other senior officials.

Meanwhile, IndiGo said on Sunday that it plans to operate 1,500 flights and has restored 95 per cent of its route network.

However, despite these claims, more than 220 flights had already been cancelled across major airports by the time of reporting, adding to the chaos faced by passengers over the past week.

--IANS

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