DGCA asks IndiGo to explain flight cancellation

New Delhi: Aviation regulator DGCA on Thursday issued a notice to no-frill carrier IndiGo to explain why it had not taken the regulator's prior approval to curtail its flight schedules as is required by the rule.

The notice was issued under Rule 140(A) of Aircraft Rules, as it was sent to Kingfisher Airlines on Wednesday.

"The notice has been issued to IndiGo under these rules as it is operating lesser number of flights than what they agreed to in the Winter Schedule," DGCA chief EK Bharat Bhushan told PTI.

Under this rule, an airline has to obtain DGCA's concurrence before discontinuing a flight or starting a new route at least a week before taking such a step.

The DGCA also asked IndiGo what steps it has taken so far to take care of the passengers booked in the flights cancelled in terms of returning their airfares, accommodating them in their alternative flights or providing them alternative modes of transportation.

The aviation regulator, through the notice, asked the low-cost carrier whether it had kept in view the provisions of Civil Aviation Requirement on the "facilities to be provided to passengers in case of denied boarding, flight cancellations and flight delays".

When contacted, an IndiGo spokesperson said the airline "has not cancelled a single flight. The approved Winter Schedule is for flights to be operated up to March 2012.

"IndiGo currently operates 259 domestic flights daily. As we continue to induct seven more aircraft into our fleet from now to March 2012, we will add more flights to fulfill all our Winter Schedule approvals. Once again, IndiGo has not cancelled any flights and our current operation is higher than our Summer Schedule operations," the spokesperson said.