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New Delhi: Stepping up its attack on the BJP-led government over the continuing IndiGo flight disruptions, the Congress on Saturday accused the Centre of engineering a “duopoly” in aviation, claiming that the current crisis was the direct outcome of policy-driven concentration of power and regulatory failure. The party also asked whether Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu would take responsibility for what it termed an “unprecedented national aviation breakdown”. The attack came even as the Ministry of Civil Aviation ordered IndiGo to complete all refunds for cancelled flights by Sunday evening and ensure delivery of stranded baggage within 48 hours.

“Nation’s Air Travel Brought to Its Knees”: Congress Attack

Addressing a press conference, Congress leader Sasikanth Senthil said IndiGo’s large-scale flight cancellations had crippled the country’s air travel network. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised ‘ease of air travel’ but has delivered a ‘cease of air travel’,” Senthil said, adding that over 1,000 flight cancellations over five days had exposed the vulnerability of an aviation sector dominated by a few players. He alleged that the crisis was not accidental but the predictable result of the BJP government’s push to manufacture a duopoly in Indian aviation.

FDTL Rollback Amid Chaos Raises Safety Fears

Senthil also targeted the government over the rollback of Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules, which were introduced to curb pilot fatigue. “The BJP government released FDTL rules in January 2024, partially implemented them in July 2025, and then withdrew these safety protections in the middle of a sector-wide meltdown,” he said. Calling the move “outrageous”, Senthil alleged that passenger safety and pilot wellbeing had been compromised for the convenience of corporate interests instead of stabilising the system.

Crony Capitalism, Monopoly and Regulatory Failure Alleged

The Congress leader accused the government of weaponising policy and regulation to build dominance for select corporate groups, not just in aviation but also in telecom, ports and infrastructure.

“What the country is witnessing today is the full-blown outcome of crony capitalism — a system that rewards political loyalty over merit, and centralises markets instead of protecting competition,” he said. He also questioned why the DGCA allegedly failed to enforce compliance on IndiGo over FDTL rules, and whether the airline received preferential treatment.

Minister’s Accountability Sought as Refund Deadline Nears

Posing direct questions to the Centre, Senthil asked whether Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu would take responsibility for passengers being stranded nationwide. He also raised concerns over electoral bond purchases by InterGlobe group entities, questioning whether financial proximity had resulted in regulatory leniency.

Meanwhile, the government on Saturday:

• Directed IndiGo to complete refunds by Sunday evening

• Ordered delivery of stranded baggage within 48 hours

• Asked the airline to set up dedicated passenger support and refund facilitation cells

Despite these measures, over 400 flights were cancelled on Saturday alone, keeping pressure firmly on the government and the country’s largest airline.