NEW DELHI — Following a chaotic winter season marred by widespread flight delays and unmanageable queues at major hubs like Delhi and Mumbai, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued a stern warning that airport operators could "soon" face penalties, even as operators like GMR Airports report Q3 FY24 profits of Rs 1,480 crore.

"We are taking a passenger-centric approach to ensure world-class airports," said an official, speaking from a VIP terminal lounge. "The modalities of these penalties are being worked out. We expect this new framework to be every bit as transformative as our 2017 AirSewa grievance portal."

According to a 2020 CAG report, the AirSewa portal resulted in 60 percent of passenger grievances missing their stipulated 30-day resolution deadline, with numerous complaints simply marked "resolved" without any actual action taken.

The latest announcement follows late 2023 parliamentary committee discussions regarding ongoing infrastructure deficits, an issue authorities previously attempted to address with a set of DGCA guidelines in 2022. Despite those guidelines, passengers continue to report massive delays, inadequate facilities, and routine cancellations.

"The era of unchecked cost-cutting is coming to an end in a phased manner," a government spokesperson assured reporters, clarifying that while no senior aviation official or major airport operator has ever faced dismissal for existing service failures, the new threat of impending penalties has already been marked as resolved in the system.