IndiGo flight chaos: Why is the airline asking for regulatory exemptions from DGCA?
IndiGo seeks DGCA exemptions after new pilot rest rules caused mulitiple cancellations and 8.5 per cent on-time performance. Airline needs till 10 February to hire crew fix rosters. Regulator demands safety plans fortnightly reviews for temporary relief.
Multiple flights axed in November 2024 alone
IndiGo cancelled multiple domestic flights in November - highest monthly total for any Indian carrier. Delhi saw all 235 flights scrapped on 5 December. On-time performance fell from 84.1 per cent in October to just 8.5 per cent across major airports. New DGCA pilot duty rules created acute crew shortages overnight. Airline says without exemptions thousands more passengers face disruptions.
New rules slashed pilot capacity by 50 per cent
DGCA's Flight Duty Time Limitation changes cut IndiGo's usable pilot hours by nearly half. Weekly rest became mandatory with no leave substitution allowed. Night duties restricted to two landings per rotation maximum. These three changes made existing rosters suddenly illegal. IndiGo told regulator it cannot hire and train pilots fast enough to comply immediately.
Weekly rest rule killed existing flight schedules
Pilots now need full day off weekly - accumulated leave doesn't count. IndiGo said this single rule grounded 50 per cent of scheduled flights instantly. Rosters built for previous norms became non-compliant overnight. Airline lacks pilot numbers to cover mandatory rest periods across 360+ aircraft network.
Night limits hit revenue-critical evening flights
DGCA capped pilots at two night landings per duty and two consecutive nights. IndiGo runs dense evening banks from Delhi Mumbai Bengaluru for high yields. These restrictions crippled trunk route and international connection schedules. Airline seeks night duty exemption till 10 February to maintain revenue while fixing crew gaps.
Daily duty caps made extended shifts impossible
FDTL rules limited total flying hours within 24-hour windows. Pilots could no longer do multi-sector days that formed IndiGo's high-utilisation model. Combined with weekly rest this halved operational capacity across A320 fleet. IndiGo requested targeted FDTL relaxations to bridge gap till new pilots join.
60% market share means national capacity crunch
IndiGo carries 60 per cent of India's domestic passengers. Every cancelled flight reduces nationwide seat supply and spikes fares. Prolonged crisis risks jobs stranded passengers and tourism sector. Airline argues short-term exemptions stabilise network faster than strict compliance causing more pain.
10 February deadline with fortnightly DGCA checks
IndiGo seeks exemptions only till 10 February 2026. DGCA demands crew hiring plans safety assessments and progress reports every 15 days. Airline commits to full compliance post-10 February with expanded pilot strength. Regulator withdrew partial weekly rest rule already but watches closely.
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