The government has put the FDTL regulations in abeyance after the widespread indigo flight disruptions.
As flight disruptions continue for the sixth straight day and the country battles the worst aviation meltdown in its history, the Congress party on December 6 posed several critical questions to the BJP-led ruling government, including concerns over the alleged monopoly of IndiGo Airlines.
“Modi ji promised EASE of air travel through UDAN, but he gave us CEASE of air travel. Over the last few days, India has witnessed the worst aviation meltdown in its history. Thousands of flights have been cancelled — with more than 600 cancellations even today — leaving countless passengers stranded across the country. This crisis is unprecedented. People are missing crucial moments in their lives, including exams,” Congress’s MP and former IAS officer, Sasikanth Senthil said.
Talking about Indigo’s failure to comply with the government rule and DGCA’s failure to enforce the rule, the MP said, “This situation has been building for the past year and a half. The Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) regulations issued by the DGCA were first notified in January 2024 (or March 2024). Airlines had more than enough time to adapt to these guidelines, and we believe they are important. But what was the DGCA doing all this time, given that it was responsible for enforcing the rules and ensuring that airlines complied over the last two years?”
“These are its own guidelines, and it knew that a major airline—practically a monopoly/duopoly in the country—was not prepared. What was the Ministry doing, fully aware that this crisis was inevitable? It is not as if they were unaware. Yet the entire country was pushed into chaos, and all of this happened at a time when the President of Russia was visiting India. On one hand, they showcase Viksit Bharat; on the other, this is the reality unfolding before the world,” Sasikanth Senthil further said.
Questioning monopolies, the Congress MP questioned, “How did this airline become a monopoly, controlling nearly 60–65% of the market? We have repeatedly warned that the current government's policy of encouraging or supporting monopolies is a disaster waiting to happen. It’s not just in airlines — even in airports, a monopoly is being created in favour of Adani. Our party wants to highlight this steady push by the government to distort the market, undermine market freedom and equity, and promote select players simply because of their proximity to those in power. Take the case of IndiGo, for example. When the electoral bonds data was disclosed, it became clear that the InterGlobe group had purchased around Rs 36 crore worth of electoral bonds. Of this, IndiGo’s promoter, Rahul Bhatia, reportedly bought Rs 20 crore worth of electoral bonds. It is also clear who encashed those bonds.”
â“Why has the BJP government in the last 11 years allowed aviation to shrink into a monopoly and duopoly instead of building a competitive, diverse sector?
— Congress (@INCIndia) December 6, 2025
â“Why did the DGCA fail to ensure IndiGo complied with the FDTL rules released in January 2024 and partially implemented… pic.twitter.com/vV9MsDG7FU
He alleged the government of doing “nothing” in the worst situation.
“I don’t see any initiative from the government. Nothing substantial is being done, not even in a situation like this. When people are going through a crisis, there is absolutely no response from the government. This is a complete government failure,” he alleged.
The government has put the FDTL regulations in abeyance after the widespread indigo flight disruptions.
In short, the following are some of the critical questions put forth by the Congress MP:
"Why has the BJP government in the last 11 years allowed aviation to shrink into a monopoly and duopoly instead of building a competitive, diverse sector?
Why did the DGCA fail to ensure IndiGo complied with the FDTL rules released in January 2024 and partially implemented from July 2025 and fully on 1 November 2025? Did the government ever issue warnings or compliance notices to IndiGo, or was the airline protected from enforcement altogether?
Given the electoral bond disclosures showing massive purchases by InterGlobe group entities and its promoter, is the BJP’s financial proximity to IndiGo the real reason behind this extraordinary leniency at the cost of passengers’ safety?
Will the Union Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu take responsibility for this unprecedented crisis or continue hiding behind generic, meaningless statements while passengers remain stranded?"
(For more news apart from “Congress Questions IndiGo’s Monopoly; DGCA Failure to Enforce Rules; 600 Flights Cancelled Today: Details," stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.)
