By: The Trek News Desk
Facing three days of severe disruptions, India’s largest airline, IndiGo, has told the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that it will scale back flight operations beginning Monday, December 8, in an effort to stabilise its schedule. The carrier expects full operational normalcy by February 10, though regulators warn that additional cancellations may occur over the next few days as the airline restructures its roster.
FDTL Rules Trigger Shortage; IndiGo Admits Miscalculation
With over 60% of India’s domestic aviation market, IndiGo has formally requested temporary exemptions from select night-operations clauses in the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules until February 10.
The DGCA has not granted the waiver and has asked the airline to submit detailed justification for each exemption sought. However, officials suggest that limited relief may be considered, given the intensity of the disruptions.
IndiGo acknowledged that it had underestimated the number of pilots needed under the tightened FDTL framework, an error that directly contributed to the large-scale operational breakdown.
Ministry Steps In: “Airline Failed to Manage the Situation”
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has expressed strong dissatisfaction with how IndiGo handled the crisis.
Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu, during a review meeting, said the airline had ample time to prepare for the new norms and instructed IndiGo to stabilise operations immediately. He also directed the airline not to raise airfares during the disruption.
Major FDTL Changes Now in Effect
The updated FDTL norms, implemented in two phases from July 1 and November 1, include:
- Weekly rest increased from 36 to 48 hours
- Night landings reduced from six to two
- Expanded definition of night hours
- No more than two consecutive night duties per week
Since IndiGo operates a large portion of India’s late-night and early-morning flights, these changes have placed additional strain on its already lean crew model.
OTP Collapses: From 80% to 19%
Operational chaos peaked this week. More than 250 flights were estimated to be cancelled on Thursday alone, while the airline’s on-time performance plunged from roughly 50% on Monday to just 19.7% on Wednesday, far below its typical 80%+ benchmark.
According to figures shared with the DGCA, IndiGo requires the following for stable A320 operations under the new rules:
- 2,422 captains
- 2,153 first officers
However, the airline currently has:
- 2,357 captains
- 2,194 first officers
This shortfall, created by flawed crew planning, has left the carrier unable to meet its schedule.
DGCA Tightens Oversight: Mandatory Reports Every 15 Days
The regulator has instructed IndiGo to:
- Submit an immediate disruption-mitigation plan
- Outline a phased reduction in cancellations
- Provide a progress report every 15 days
- Deliver detailed plans for crew hiring, training, roster restructuring, and safety risk assessments
DGCA officers have been stationed at IndiGo’s operational control centres to monitor performance in real time.
Why IndiGo Was Hit the Hardest
Although the new duty-time rules apply to all Indian airlines, IndiGo bore the maximum impact because of:
- The largest domestic network (400+ aircraft, 2,300+ daily flights)
- Heavy dependence on night operations
- High aircraft and crew utilisation rates
- A lean staffing strategy with minimal buffer
In comparison, the Air India group operates less than half the number of daily flights.
Ground Monitoring Intensifies
MoCA has directed the DGCA to conduct strict field inspections at major airports, reviewing IndiGo’s passenger-handling systems, communication during delays, crew deployment, and on-ground coordination.
Regional DGCA offices have been instructed to carry out real-time evaluations to ensure that the airline meets regulatory expectations during the ongoing crisis.
Source: News Agencies
