Delhi: Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram has sharply criticised the ongoing aviation turmoil, arguing that the mass cancellations—particularly those by IndiGo—expose the deep flaws of a duopolistic airline market in India. His remarks came as passengers across the country continued to face severe disruptions because of widespread flight cancellations.
Posting on X early Saturday, Chidambaram voiced support for Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who has repeatedly warned against monopolistic and duopolistic business structures in key sectors of the economy.
“Rahul Gandhi was spot on when he said the monopoly/duopoly model is ill-suited for a developing country,” Chidambaram wrote, calling attention to sectors where market concentration has created systemic vulnerabilities. He added that the airline industry is a prime example of how reduced competition harms consumer interests.
Emphasising the principles of economic reform, he argued that liberalisation was founded on competition, not consolidation. “When competition disappears, harmful consequences are inevitable—as we are witnessing in aviation today,” he said. He urged the public to reflect on “how a once vibrant airline industry was reduced to just two dominant players—and why.”
The aviation crisis intensified after IndiGo cancelled hundreds of flights over several days, stranding thousands. The airline has attributed the disruption to crew shortages and challenges in complying with newly introduced pilot duty-hour regulations.
With complaints mounting across major airports, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) moved swiftly on Friday, announcing that the DGCA’s revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL)—a key cause behind scheduling disruptions—would be placed in abeyance with immediate effect.
According to the Ministry, the rollback was undertaken to protect passenger interests without compromising air safety. The statement noted that the decision was especially crucial for vulnerable travellers, including senior citizens, students, and patients who rely on predictable flight schedules for essential travel.
