NEW DELHI: Aviation safety regulator DGCA has suspended four Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs) following major operational disruptions at IndiGo that left thousands of passengers stranded and led to the cancellation of thousands of flights. On Friday alone, more than 50 IndiGo flights were cancelled at Bengaluru Airport.

FOIs are senior officials within the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, responsible for regulatory and safety oversight. They are deployed to monitor airline operations and ensure compliance with aviation standards.

According to a source, “Four Flight Operations Inspectors at the DGCA have been suspended in connection with the recent large-scale disruptions in IndiGo’s flights.”

FOIs play a crucial role in safeguarding aviation safety by conducting inspections, audits, and certification processes for airlines and aviation personnel, including pilots, dispatchers, and cabin crew. Their duties include verifying regulatory compliance, overseeing training and flight standards, and contributing to accident prevention efforts across India.

"IndiGo has cancelled 54 flights -- 31 arrivals and 23 departures -- from Bengaluru Airport on Friday," a source said.

The crisis-hit airline had cancelled over 200 flights from Delhi and Bengaluru on Thursday.

Meanwhile, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers and COO Isidre Porqueras will appear again before the DGCA's investigation panel at 2 PM on Friday.

The DGCA on Thursday stepped up scrutiny of the crisis-hit IndiGo, with officials stationing themselves at the carrier's headquarters to monitor operations, and an inquiry panel grilled CEO Pieter Elbers.

Elbers, who appeared before the DGCA-constituted inquiry panel on Thursday, has been asked to appear again on Friday.

The four-member panel comprises Joint Director General Sanjay Brahamane, Deputy Director General Amit Gupta, senior Flight Operations Inspector Kapil Manglik, and FOI Lokesh Rampal, with a mandate to identify the root causes of widespread operational disruptions at the leading domestic carrier.

The committee's mandate includes assessing manpower planning, fluctuating rostering systems, and the airline's preparedness to implement the latest duty period and rest norms for pilots, which came into effect from November 1 this year.