IndiGo, India’s largest airline, has appointed US-based Captain John Illson to lead an independent analysis into the massive flight cancellation issues the company faced since the beginning of December. The disruptions stemmed from a rostering mess following the implementation of new pilot-duty hour rules, which have since been temporarily rolled back by the Indian government.
The airline, which has largely resumed normal operations, selected Captain Illson to study the operational disruption and identify opportunities for improvement, a decision backed by IndiGo’s parent company’s Crisis Management Group (CMG). IndiGo emphasized that Captain Illson has an “illustrious track record in global air transport.”
Who is John Illson?
Illson, who is in his 60s, is a highly experienced aviation expert and former airline captain with over four decades of experience across major global carriers and regulatory bodies. He now runs an aviation analysis consultancy.
His extensive background includes a significant position as Chief of the Operational Safety Air Navigation Bureau at the United Nations’ International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). More recently, he served as a senior advisor to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the US.
Illson holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Georgetown University and master’s degrees in public policy and management from the University of Pittsburgh.
The Scrutiny and DGCA Inquiry
The appointment comes as IndiGo’s management, including CEO Pieter Elbers, is facing questioning before a four-member panel established by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). This panel is tasked with assessing the airline’s preparedness for the new rest and duty period norms for pilots, as well as issues related to manpower planning and rostering.
While announcing the decision to engage an external expert, IndiGo’s board chairman Vikram Singh Singh Mehta had previously denied that the crisis was “engineered” to influence the government over the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules. The new safety-mandated rules, which required better leave and fewer duty hours for pilots, had taken effect on November 1 before being shelved temporarily after the December operational chaos.