Rekha Sharma dismisses Rahul Gandhi's criticism on IndiGo disruptions

Rajya Sabha MP Rekha Sharma dismissed Rahul Gandhi's comments blaming a 'monopoly model' for IndiGo's flight disruptions. She attributed the delays to a pilot shortage and new safety norms, while Gandhi demanded 'fair competition'.

Political Spat Over IndiGo Disruptions

Rajya Sabha MP Rekha Sharma on Friday took a dig at Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi after he criticised the Centre over IndiGo experiencing operational disruptions and flight cancellations, implying that his statement shouldn't be taken seriously. Speaking to ANI, the RS MP said, "As far as Rahul Gandhi's statements are concerned, let us not take them seriously."

Rahul Gandhi has criticised the Centre over IndiGo experiencing operational disruptions and flight cancellations, attributing the issues to a "monopoly model". In an X post, Rahul Gandhi attributed the recent disruptions in the airlines to a monopoly in the aviation sector, demanding "fair competition" in the market. "IndiGo fiasco is the cost of this Govt's monopoly model. Once again, it's ordinary Indians who pay the price - in delays, cancellations and helplessness. India deserves fair competition in every sector, not match-fixing monopolies," the Congress MP wrote.

Sharma Cites Pilot Shortage, New Norms for Delays

Speaking about the IndiGo Airlines nationwide flight delay, Rekha Sharma attributed the recent nationwide flight delays by IndiGo Airlines to a shortage of pilots and stricter adherence to new aviation norms. "The reason is that IndiGo has to recruit more pilots as per the new norms. They do not have enough staff to operate. Pilots also require two days of rest, and attendants cannot be used on multiple flights. These new norms are in the public interest and for safety," she said.

Over 500 Flights Affected Nationwide

In a major airline operational disruptions nationwide, over 500 IndiGo flights were delayed or cancelled on Friday, according to the latest report. All IndiGo flights departing from Delhi Airport on Friday have been cancelled till midnight, while operations for other carriers remain as scheduled.

In an official advisory, the Delhi Airport said, "IndiGo domestic flights departing from Delhi Airport on 5th December 2025 are cancelled till midnight today (till 23:59 hours). Operations for all other carriers remain as scheduled. Our dedicated on-ground teams are working diligently with all partners to mitigate the disruption and ensure a comfortable passenger experience." (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)