In the world of aviation, safety isn’t the only concern—trust and reliability are equally paramount. Over the past week, India’s largest airline IndiGo has found itself in the eye of a storm, not due to a technical failure or a security lapse, but due to a man-made crisis of poor risk anticipation and crisis mismanagement.
What Happened?
Following a new Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) directive to cap pilot flying hours and ensure sufficient rest as per revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), IndiGo failed to realign its pilot rosters and crew availability adequately. This led to a domino effect:
Over 150 flight cancellations and widespread delays across metro airports.
Chaos at airports as passengers were stranded without information or timely alternatives.
IndiGo issued apology messages but failed to provide adequate on-ground crisis response.
The airline attributed the disruption to roster adjustments and transition to new DGCA norms, but this raises a serious question: Why was India’s largest airline caught off guard by a known regulatory deadline?
Failure to Anticipate Regulatory Risk
This crisis could have been avoided. The DGCA guidelines on pilot duty hours were not a surprise—they were communicated in advance, allowing for risk assessment, workforce planning, and passenger communication. But IndiGo’s failure to simulate or scenario-test the operational impact of the guidelines shows a breakdown in enterprise risk management (ERM).
This is a classic case of:
Regulatory risk underestimated
Operational readiness not aligned with policy change
Lack of proactive scenario planning and mitigation
Crisis Management Gaps
Once flights started getting cancelled, IndiGo’s response appeared reactive rather than resilient:
No visible command centre or crisis spokesperson.
Passengers reported poor communication, app and website glitches, and long queues.
No visible digital crisis communication strategy to pacify or reroute affected passengers.
In crisis management, the first few hours shape public perception. In this case, failure to provide real-time, transparent, and empathetic communication aggravated reputational damage.
Reputational Risk Fallout
For a brand that banks on being punctual and dependable, this incident risks eroding its brand equity. Customer complaints, media headlines, and viral posts have dented trust. More dangerously:
Investors may question risk governance and board oversight
Regulators may scrutinize compliance readiness
Frequent fliers may switch loyalties over operational uncertainty
Reputational risk is rarely insurable—but it is preventable.
What Could Have Been Done Better?
1. Regulatory impact assessment: Schedule simulations for new FDTL norms, pre-empt workforce gaps.
2. Pilot resource planning: Hire buffer crew or adjust rosters weeks ahead.
3. Passenger notification strategy: Auto-alerts, free rebooking, and transparent delay reasons.
4. Crisis playbook activation: Assign crisis teams, real-time dashboards, and clear spokesperson protocol.
5. Post-incident trust rebuild: CEO-led communication, compensation offers, and commitment to avoid recurrence.
Lessons for Risk Leaders
The IndiGo case is a wake-up call: Even the best-run organizations falter without proactive risk culture. Crisis and reputation risks are not only about external shocks—they often originate from internal blind spots, poor coordination, and a reactive mindset.
“ERM is not just about preventing crises, but about being ready to respond with agility and empathy when they do occur.”
For more structured learning, please visit our website Smart Online Course, where we offer multiple courses to help you deepen your understanding of risk management.