New Delhi, 5 Dec

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday blamed the ongoing disruption in IndiGo flight operations on what he called the Central government’s “monopoly model”, alleging that the aviation sector has been reduced to the hands of a few powerful players at the cost of ordinary citizens.

IndiGo has cancelled more than 550 flights on Thursday and another 400 on Friday, leaving thousands of passengers stranded across airports nationwide. Gandhi took to X to slam the Centre, saying, “IndiGo fiasco is the cost of this government’s monopoly model. Once again, it’s ordinary Indians who pay the price in delays, cancellations and helplessness.”

He stressed that India should have “fair competition in every sector, not match-fixing monopolies.” The Leader of Opposition also resurfaced an article he had written earlier, where he accused a “new breed of monopolists” of replacing the fear once created by the East India Company. “India deserves a new deal for business,” he wrote.

Congress stepped up its criticism, with party spokesperson Pawan Khera alleging that airport chaos reflects a duopoly backed by the BJP-led government. “92 per cent of the share in our airline sector is in the hands of just two companies — IndiGo and Tata,” Khera said. He claimed the government rolled back passenger safety regulations under pressure from these airline giants.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra reiterated monopoly concerns, saying, “Most things belong to only a few people and that is the doing of this government. That is not healthy for the economy, democracy or the country.”

Congress general secretary K C Venugopal also targeted the government, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decisions had “reduced a once-competitive industry to two players, prioritising corporate greed over passengers’ interests.”

Meanwhile, IndiGo has informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that operations will only be fully stabilised by February 10, 2026. The airline acknowledged planning gaps in implementing the second phase of Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms, which led to staffing shortages and cancellations. More disruptions are expected until December 8.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu has expressed displeasure, saying IndiGo mishandled the transition despite “having ample time.” A high-level review meeting was held to monitor the situation and ensure corrective measures. Further updates are awaited.