Senior expat official in IndiGo management may face action

NEW DELHI: A DGCA-appointed panel of eight flight operations inspectors (FOIs) to oversee IndiGo operations till they stabilise is learnt to have put an expat top management person (not the CEO) of the airlines under the scanner.

Officials close to the developments said regulatory action against him was likely. IndiGo's operations control centre (OCC) has been found to be a weak link. As of now, the airline is giving out two-day rosters to pilots. This means a pilot knows the flights he or she is supposed to fly next two days only. FOIs are, meanwhile, said to be upset with the recent removal of four of their colleagues from their positions for allegedly not being able to prevent IndiGo's fiasco.

"FOIs feel they have been made scapegoats. Some of them now want to quit their positions," said officials.Akasa's ambition: After Air India, Akasa has also sought information from the govt about the likely duration of IndiGo capacity cuts so that it can decide on operating some extra flights in the second half of Jan. The aviation ministry is expected to finalise IndiGo cuts and duration of the same early this week. Air India has offered to explore operating 275 extra flights this month.The 30 Boeing 737s Akasa has are at present being fully utilised. The airlines recently got its 31st aircraft, which will start flying next month, and could use it to partially fill in the void created by IndiGo's route cuts.