IndiGo back to normal pilot duty rules after winter disruptions

New Delhi: IndiGo’s temporary exemptions from pilot rest and flight duty time limitation (FDTL) norms expire on Tuesday, with aviation authorities expecting minimal disruption as the airline ramps up crew availability after a major operational crisis earlier this winter.

The country’s largest carrier had received regulatory relaxations after strict compliance with revised FDTL rules triggered widespread flight cancellations, stranding nearly three lakh passengers and disrupting more than 5,500 flights nationwide. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) later imposed a Rs 22.2 crore penalty on IndiGo for systemic failures in operations and crew planning.

Crew strength and buffers improved

According to Hindustan Times, IndiGo has increased its crew buffer from zero in December to around 3 per cent in February and raised its pilot-to-aircraft ratio, improving operational resilience. The airline now has about seven crew sets per aircraft, compared to fewer than six during the peak disruption period.

The carrier has also strengthened its hiring pipeline, onboarding 100 trainee first officers in January and scheduling regular training for additional pilots in the coming months to offset attrition and meet growing demand.

Government sources said a review of IndiGo’s rostering plans showed the airline is largely compliant with FDTL requirements and better positioned to avoid large-scale flight disruptions.

Why did DGCA fined IndiGo

The DGCA launched an inquiry after thousands of flight cancellations and delays hit passengers during the winter schedule rollout. A four-member committee found that IndiGo had cancelled 2,507 flights and delayed 1,852 others, marking one of the most disruptive episodes in Indian aviation.

The regulator cited over-optimisation of operations, inadequate crew buffers, software gaps, and delayed implementation of revised duty norms as key causes. It also flagged excessive reliance on extended duty periods, dead-heading, and minimal recovery margins, which made the airline vulnerable to cascading failures.

As part of enforcement action, DGCA issued warnings to IndiGo’s top leadership, including the CEO, Accountable Manager, and COO.