Overview
- YSRCP leaders called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sack Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu, branding him incompetent after widespread IndiGo disruptions.
- The opposition alleged the Centre abruptly enforced new Flight Duty Time Limitation rules, increasing pilots’ rest from 36 to 48 hours and, by its estimate, requiring about 900 additional IndiGo pilots.
- Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said the FDTL regime aligns with international safety standards and blamed IndiGo’s poor roster planning and lean staffing for the cancellations.
- He said the minister is accountable to Parliament and the Prime Minister and noted that IndiGo’s 60–65 percent domestic market share intensified the nationwide impact.
- Naidu said the Centre has temporarily eased some FDTL conditions and ordered passenger refunds after 550 cancellations on Dec 4 and nearly 600 on Dec 5, and he expects operations to stabilise soon.