“No Airline Permitted to Cause Hardship”: Naidu Confirms Strict Action Against IndiGo in Lok Sabha

Look, the message from the government today is crystal clear. Ram Mohan Naidu, the Civil Aviation Minister, stood up in the Lok Sabha and basically drew a line in the sand.

The quote sums it up: “No airline, however large, will be permitted to cause hardship to passengers.” He didn’t even need to name IndiGo, but everyone knew exactly who he was talking about.

The Internal Crisis, The Accountability

The thing is, the government is blaming the airline entirely. This isn’t just bad luck, it’s not weather. It’s a “planning failure,” a problem with their “internal crew-rostering“ system. That happened. And then the chaos for thousands of passengers followed.

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• DGCA Notices: The regulator—the DGCA—already slapped IndiGo with show-cause notices. That’s a serious warning. The Minister confirmed an “enforcement investigation” has started against the airline’s senior leadership. They’re being held “fully accountable.”

• The Refund Number: Naidu gave a massive number: IndiGo was ordered to process refunds quickly, and more than ₹750 crore has already reached the affected passengers. That’s a huge figure, showing the scale of the disruption, let’s be real.

Restoring Order and The Walkout

He tried to calm things down too. Naidu claimed that IndiGo’s schedules are now stabilizing. All the other airlines? They are “operating smoothly.” He also said airports across the country look “normal” again—no huge crowds, no distress.

But the ministry isn’t letting go yet. Refunds, baggage tracing, and general passenger support—all that is still under the ministry’s direct supervision. He was very clear: once the full DGCA report comes out, “strict and appropriate action will be taken.“

What draws people there? The promise of competition. Naidu said the government is actively trying to bring in more new airlines. That’s a direct threat to IndiGo’s huge market share, a push for a better, more competitive Indian aviation system.

But here’s the kicker: The Opposition wasn’t buying it. They staged a walkout right after the statement. They expressed dissatisfaction. They felt the promises of action weren’t strong enough, or maybe they just wanted a full, proper debate. So, the political drama continues. The minister made his point. The opposition walked out.

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