A parliamentary panel examining the recent air traffic disruptions attempted to fix responsibility for IndiGo’s mass cancellation of flights on Wednesday but found the replies of the airline and aviation regulator “evasive and unconvincing”, according to sources.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, chaired by JD(U) leader Sanjay Jha, heard senior aviation officials and IndiGo Chief Operating Officer Isidro Porqueras during a nearly four-hour-long meeting.

However, the panel did not arrive at any conclusion and decided to wait for the report of the ongoing inquiry ordered by the Civil Aviation Ministry before fixing the onus for the chaos that left thousands of travellers stranded across airports in the country, the sources said.

Some members of Parliament questioned whether the ministry was unprepared for such a situation after the implementation of the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms or if it was an “arms-twisting technique” adopted by IndiGo to secure an exemption from the new routine, the sources said.

According to a source privy to the discussions, representatives of IndiGo and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation tried to put the blame on technical issues rather than taking responsibility, with their replies described as “evasive and unconvincing”.

The committee decided not to take any view at this stage and resolved to wait for the findings of the investigation ordered by the ministry.

The Civil Aviation Ministry has constituted a four-member committee to review the circumstances leading to the massive operational disruptions, and its report is expected to be submitted on 28 December.

A team of officials led by IndiGo COO Isidro Porqueras represented the airline, while Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha headed the ministry and DGCA delegation.

Representatives of Air India, Air India Express, Akasha and SpiceJet were also present at the meeting.

Members of the panel said it had taken serious note of the difficulties faced by thousands of passengers due to the disruption in air services.

Even parliamentarians who were in the national capital for the Winter Session faced the brunt of IndiGo flight cancellations and delays by other airlines, a panel member said.

Several MPs also reported receiving complaints from people about air fares shooting up amid the disruptions.

IndiGo had cancelled hundreds of flights for days beginning December 2 across the country.

Aviation regulator DGCA has since served notices to IndiGo Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers and COO Porqueras, seeking their explanation.

In a statement, IndiGo said the Board of InterGlobe Aviation, its parent company, has set up a Crisis Management Group “which is meeting regularly to monitor the situation”.

“The company’s Board of Directors is doing everything possible to take care of the challenges faced by its customers and ensure refunds to passengers,” it added.