Narendra Modi slams PM, calls Cong a sinking ship

Rajkot, June 11: Chief minister Narendra Modi came to Rajkot on Sunday, what is essentially his bete noire Keshubhai Patel's home turf, but chose to make no mention of the dissidents. Even as Sanjay Joshi's supporters were shouting slogans against him outside the venue of the Gujarat BJP's two-day executive meeting, he took aim at the UPA in Delhi.

"Congress has little chance of survival," he told the party in Hindi on the concluding day of the two-day meet. "This government has disappointed the people of the country with a series of scams and failure to check corruption and price rise." Modi described the Congress as a sinking ship and exuded confidence that it would be completely wiped out in the state assembly elections.

"We have a bright chance of winning with a thumping majority as compared to earlier polls," he added. Hitting out at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Modi said, "Every time he (PM) assures the country that inflation would come down, it only increases. If you cannot bring prices down, at least bring them to the level where our Atal Behari Vajpayee left them."

He even hit out at the UPA for its failing to arrest the fall of rupee and blamed rampant corruption for its depreciation.

MODI 'UNMASKED'

People wearing Sanjay Joshi's masks appeared outside the venue of the state BJP executive meeting in Rajkot on Sunday as supporters of the ousted leader took a leaf out of chief minister Narendra Modi's book of poll strategy. They distributed pamphlets scoffing at Modi's prime ministerial ambitions. "I am an RSS member. I do not sell gauchar land. I do not do genocide for power. I do not compromise with my ideology to become prime minister. I do not change my colour for power," read the pamphlets. Joshi's supporters shouted slogans like "Sanjay Joshi tum aage badho, hum tumhare sath hain" and "kaho dilse, Sanjay Joshi phirse." The masks read, 'I am Sanjay Joshi' while protesting barely 200 metres from the venue of the BJP meet.

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IndiGo meltdown: 200 flights cancelled; Bengaluru hit hard with 42 cancellations

News Network

December 3,2025

IndiGo, India’s largest airline, is battling one of its worst operational disruptions in recent years, with hundreds of delays and cancellations throwing domestic travel into chaos.

Government data on Tuesday showed its on-time performance plunging to 35%, an unusual dip for a carrier long associated with punctuality.

By Wednesday afternoon, airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad had collectively reported close to 200 cancellations, stranding travellers across the country.

Crew Shortage After New Duty Norms

A major trigger behind the meltdown is a severe crew shortage, especially among pilots, following the rollout of revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms last month.

The rules mandate longer rest hours and more humane rosters — a shift IndiGo has struggled to incorporate across its vast network.

Sources said several flights were grounded due to lack of cabin crew, while some delays stretched upwards of eight hours.

With IndiGo controlling over 60% of India’s domestic aviation market, the ripple effect has impacted airports nationwide.

IndiGo Issues Apology, Lists “Compounding Factors”

In a statement, IndiGo acknowledged the large-scale disruption:

“We sincerely apologise to customers. A series of unforeseen operational challenges — technology glitches, winter schedule changes, adverse weather, system congestion and updated FDTL norms — created a compounding impact that could not have been anticipated.”

To stabilise operations, the airline has begun calibrated schedule adjustments for the next 48 hours, aiming to restore punctuality. Affected passengers are being offered refunds or alternate travel arrangements, IndiGo said.

What the FDTL Rules Require

The FDTL norms, designed to reduce pilot fatigue, cap duty and flying hours as follows:
•   Maximum 8 hours of flying per day
•   35 hours per week
•   125 hours per month
•   1,000 hours per year

Crew must also receive rest equalling twice the flight duration, with a minimum 10-hour rest period in any 24-hour window.

The DGCA introduced these limits to enhance flight safety.

Hyderabad: 33 Flights Cancelled, Long Queues Reported

Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport saw heavy early-morning crowds as 33 IndiGo flights (arrivals and departures) were cancelled.

The airport clarified on X that operations were normal, advising passengers to contact IndiGo directly for latest flight status.

Cancellations included flights to and from Visakhapatnam, Goa, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Madurai, Hubli, Bhopal and Bhubaneswar.

Bengaluru: 42 Flights Disrupted

Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport recorded 42 cancellations — 22 arrivals and 20 departures — affecting routes to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Goa, Kolkata and Lucknow.

Passengers Vent on Social Media

Irate travellers took to X to share their experiences. One passenger stranded in Hyderabad wrote: “I have been here since 3 a.m. and missed an important meeting.”

Another said: “My flight was pushed from 1:55 PM to 2:55 PM and now 4:35 PM. I was informed only three minutes before entering the airport.”

Delhi Airport Hit by Tech Glitch

At Delhi Airport, the disruption deepened due to a slowdown in the Amadeus system — used for reservations, check-ins and departure control.

The technical issue led to longer queues and sluggish processing, adding to delays already worsened by staff shortages.

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