India’s aviation crisis with Indigo did not emerge from a single trigger. It was the result of two systems ~ an airline operating at the edge of efficiency and a regulator pushing through a sweeping safety overhaul ~ colliding at precisely the moment the network was most vulnerable. The chaos that followed, with thousands stranded and a week-long wave of cancellations, revealed a deeper structural truth: India’s aviation ecosystem lacks resilience. Neither ultra-lean airline operations nor rigid one-size-fits-all regulation can sustain a country whose skies are crowded, airports congested, and weather disruptions routine.

For years, India’s low-cost carriers have optimised their schedules to the last minute. Aircraft utilisation of 13-14 hours a day, multiple short-segment rotations, and minimal standby crew helped keep fares low in a price-sensitive market. This model is efficient ~ but only in stable conditions. India’s operational environment has never been stable. Fog, ATC delays, runway........

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