New Delhi, Dec 7 (NationPress) Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Sunday took aim at Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for his claims that the Centre's policies have fostered a "monopoly model" in the aviation sector, which he argues has resulted in widespread cancellations and delays by IndiGo. The Minister urged the LoP to avoid politicizing this issue, emphasizing that the government has always strived to enhance competition within the industry.

On Friday, Gandhi asserted that the ongoing IndiGo fiasco was a direct consequence of the government's "monopoly model," highlighting that the nation’s largest airline had cancelled hundreds of flights for the fourth day in a row.

In response to these remarks, Naidu stated to IANS, "He should realize that this is not a political issue but a matter of public concern. In the aviation sector, the government's focus has been on fostering competition. A competitive landscape is beneficial for the aviation industry."

Naidu further explained, "Increased competition means allowing new airlines to enter, expanding our fleet, and lowering leasing costs. We have even enacted legislation in Parliament to facilitate lower leasing expenses, allowing for more aircraft to be included in our fleet," he asserted, adding that the Centre actively promotes competition and welcomes new players in a sector experiencing robust demand.

In a recent post on X, Gandhi remarked that ordinary citizens are suffering from these disruptions, stating, "The IndiGo fiasco is the price of this government's monopoly model. Time and again, it is the common people who bear the consequences - with delays, cancellations, and feelings of helplessness... India deserves fair competition across all sectors, not monopolistic practices that resemble match-fixing."

In recent days, IndiGo has cancelled hundreds of flights at major airports including Delhi, Jaipur, Bhopal, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai, failing to adjust its flight roster in compliance with newly imposed government regulations. These disruptions have left thousands of passengers stranded across the country.

Naidu mentioned that steps have been taken to alleviate issues for passengers amid the ongoing crisis of cancellations and delays involving IndiGo. He also indicated that any necessary strict actions against the airline would follow an investigation. Additionally, the Ministry has implemented a nationwide cap on domestic airfares to counter the significant and sudden surge in ticket prices resulting from the major disruptions at IndiGo.

Naidu instructed that IndiGo must process all refunds by 8 p.m. on Sunday, and that baggage claim requests should be addressed within the next 48 hours.